Assassin to Savior The story of a Dunmer
by Arbiter's Sword
Summary: At the height of their power, the Urshar crime family is seemingly invincible. From shadow, they bribe and blackmail their way into great power, but when they overplay their hand, the young son, Han lu is left to fend for himself in the custody of the Empire. He is sent to the land of his ancestors, humbled and completely unaware of the role he will play in the nation's future.
1. Chapter 1 The Emperor's Birthday

My name is Han lu Urshar. I am son to my father Adairan and to my mother Virisa. We are Dark elves, or Dunmer to those who prefer proper names. Although my people hail from the north east corner of the continent Tamriel, I was born here in Cyrodiil. This is where I lived my entire life, although, not in the same part for more than a few weeks at a time.

My parents had both been born in Morrowind on the island of Vvardenfell. My father from the harsh desert ashlands around the volcano at the center of the island. My mother was from the eastern coast and the differences in their upbringing were plain to see even on their faces. My father's skin was tough, weathered, and a dark grey color. His eyes were red like most dark elves, but squinted from years of flying ash and dirt. In contrast, my mother's skin was much lighter, almost blue and she had big, bright eyes.

I took after my father and although much less fair, I preferred the rugged look. What I didn't prefer was the short stature I'd inherited. At five foot eight inches, many men and elves towered over me, but the few who had ever tried lording their size over me didn't stand upright for long. That's right, I'm a fighter. I was following in my father's work and if you couldn't fight, you didn't last. Of course, fighting is the very last option in blackmail. It's difficult to get paid when your mark is dead, but sometimes, when we'd exhausted every other option we had to slit a few throats so our next mark would take us seriously. Such was the case on the night everything went wrong.

Many of my memories from that time have suffered and eventually you'll understand why, but the events of that night haunt me with crystal clarity. I was dressed in more finery than I'd ever worn before in an attempt to disguise myself as a nobleman. Green silk shirt. Dark velvet pants. A jacket with so many brass buttons that the weight made me want to slouch involuntarily. My shoes alone cost nearly as much as the horse under me and my parents were dressed in a similar fashion.

Our mood was dour as the three of us made the trip from the city of Anvil to the Imperial capital. Dad was never one to overthink a job, but I could tell that this one had him on edge. Before coming into view of the city, he twisted in his saddle to address mother and I. "Killing our target shouldn't be a problem, but getting out safely is going to take careful coordination," he reminded us.

I nodded with an uneasy grin, trying to put Adairan at ease. "Yes, we've beaten that horse to death dad. We've gone over it many times."

Adairan smiled across to me, his angular face relaxing a bit. "As much as we plan ahead, you know how everything can change in an instant."

"Do you have your hip flask?" Virisa spoke with much more confidence than my father. She sat astride her steed as if she were a princess. Perfect posture. Elegant even with her riding cloak covering her gown.

Rather than answer, I drew the brass flask from my pocket. It was filled with a powerful potion of slow fall. After killing our target, we'd have to jump out of the tallest tower in miles to escape. The ingredients infused in my flask would slow my downward fall and allow me to land safely more than a hundred feet below. We'd tested it a week earlier at an oceanside cliff. Adairan had downed a dose of the mixture and took a running jump off the cliff toward the ocean below. Mother and I had waited below in a rowboat to take him back to shore. The sight of Adairan falling at a tenth of normal falling speed had been comical enough on its own, but when he started pumping his arms, mocking a sprint in mid air, it drove mother and I to tears of mirth.

My father's deep rough voice drew me away from my reminiscing. "Remember, we aren't just jumping to the ground. We want to drift as far over the inner wall as possible to get away from the palace and into the city. Then we'll head for the western gate before the alarm is raised and the guards close it. It shouldn't be hard to blend into the crowds in the streets."

"And from there, we go to the stable where Bargrum and Fargoth will be waiting with horses," I interjected. Bargrum, the orc and Fargoth, the wood elf had been in my father's employ as long as I could remember. They might as well have been my uncles.

I pulled ahead until I could see over the next ridge and reigned in my horse. The view of the Imperial city over the bay never ceased to awe me. The high stone walls were unmatched by any other in Tamriel. By conquering the whole continent, Cyrodiil had increased trade everywhere and all roads lead back here. Every trader that passes through inevitably spends gold and trades some of his fineries. The result, the ultimate economy. People became rich and could hire architects and artisans to try and outdo their neighbors in decorum. The city may as well have been paved with gold. The bards and poets couldn't have spoken any more highly of the capital even if it had been true.

As my parents drew up next to me, they too paused to take in the grandeur of the city of white stone. I noticed my father's crimson gaze drawn specifically to the tower in the center. White gold tower, seat of power in Cyrodiil, palace of the Emperor, and the site of what would be my life's greatest failure.

We pressed on to the city gates and turned away from the road at the sight of the stables. Fargoth was already there, posing as the stable worker. He looked the part with his wild curly hair and wiry form. Bargrum was hauling bales of hay to the corrals, but he looked more suited to the battlefield than a stable. Still, I doubted anyone would question his disguise.

"Greetings lords and lady." Fargoth put on a show for the benefit of any passersby. "How may I help you?"

"We need to stable our horses for the evening."

"Of course sir." The wood elf took the reins as my father swung his leg over the saddle and dropped to the ground. Bargrum did the same for my mother and I. We all pressed in close to hear Fargoth whisper. "The stable hands are tied and gagged. So far so good."

Adairan cooly nodded his approval. "Perfect. Stick to the plan and nobody will ever doubt our capabilities again. We'll be more feared than the dark brotherhood."

Bargrum smiled, a truly gruesome sight with the shape of his jaw and his pointed teeth, even as orcs went. "Yes master Adairan. It's truly an honor to be with you on such a historic day."

My father's smile showed warmth. He clapped the orc's shoulder. "You all know what to do. Steady men."

Adairan offered Virisa his arm and they strode off toward the city gate together. I hung back a moment and removed my sword belt from around my shoulders. My blade was a Nord made broadsword with special silver inlay. It had been a gift to me from my father four years ago. At fourteen I'd barely been able to swing it. The pure silver was specifically requested, because while steel was strong and reliable, there were some creatures in Tamriel that were immune to regular physical attacks. It wasn't often I encountered undead and I'd thankfully never faced a werewolf,but if the need arose my blade was capable of slaying the living and banishing the dead.

"Would you look after this Bargrum? It would be a shame if I were to leave it with the guards at the party."

I held it out to the Orc with a single outstretched hand, but he received it by clasping the scabbard tightly with both hands as if in reverence. "I will safeguard your blade young master." His voice was guttural to the point that it interfered with his annunciation. Many men and elves had taken him for a simpleton over the years. While simple he may be, I knew him to have unswerving loyalty, great battle prowess, and even surprising wisdom at times. "May you be safe without it. Divine speed."

I waved passively before joining my parents. I stood to father's left. The walk to the front gate would take a few minutes. When there were no other bystanders to hear us, my father looked to me. "Son, are you sure you're ready for this?" Almost doggedly, I nodded once again wishing he would stop asking. "Because if you're not, we can still call it off."

I was so shocked, I stumbled. When I caught my stride again, I looked at him incredulously. "You're joking. After all the palms we greased, the arms we twisted, after months of preparing, you would just give it all up?"

"When you are unwilling to admit that an idea might be bad, it is often a sign of desperation. I'm not desperate for this job son. Are you?"

"Dad, all our troubles can be laid to rest. Our work will only take a fraction of the effort in the future."

"That's not worth a thing if we fail. I made the preparations, but in the end, everything will rest on your shoulders. So I leave the decision up to you. Are you sure you want to go through with it?"

I didn't answer right away. I'd been taught to take serious consideration whenever I was asked a serious question. We were nearing the gate, guarded by two of the Emperor's legionnaires by the time I nodded again. I was resolute, just like my dad had been so many times.

We passed through the city without attracting attention. It wasn't that hard. Everyone was in the streets, celebrating the Emperor's birthday. Today was a heyday for pickpockets. Most of the guards had abandoned their heavy iron armor for the day and monitored the crowd in plain clothes. That way, they'd be fast enough on their feet to give chase, should the need arise.

Colorful banners hung from every surface, most bearing the Emperor's crest. A dragon with its head, wings, and tail positioned so that it formed a diamond shape.

We walked through the city until reaching the center. The guards let us through the gate into the courtyard of White Gold tower. Currently, the courtyard was set up to receive birthday guests. The bushes and gardens were trimmed perfectly and tended carefully. Colorful peacocks wandered at will. We passed an elven musician providing relaxing music with his stringed lute. He nodded graciously from his stone bench as we passed.

As we neared the base of the tower and joined the line of noble men and women awaiting entrance, my father leaned over and whispered in my ear. "Last chance. Once we're inside, there's no turning back."

I smiled and replied, "This is going to be our finest hour." Adairan took a deep breath and set his face.

At the front of the line, a legionnaire with an impressive mustache stopped us. My father gave up our invitations. "Ah, you represent the royalty of Morrowind?"

"Yes good sir. King Helseth regrets not being able to attend in person." This much was true. Hlaalu Helseth had sent his son and his sons wife to represent him at the party. However, the only new relationships they would be forming would be with the fish at the bottom of the lake we dumped them in. I was just thankful that I hadn't gotten any blood on the invitations.

The Legionnaire nodded several times as he examined the official documents. "I hear Morrowind is facing many troubles these days. Do you have any weapons to check?"

"No, we left those with the servants," father answered.

The Imperial nodded and waved us on to the next station. Two men sat at a desk with decorative metal bracers. "Arms please," they politely requested. These silver appendages were used for many occasions. Once locked onto your arm, they would begin draining your magic power. Even though they checked for weapons at the door, some mages could summon a copy of a weapon out of thin air. It just so happened that my mother and I were both skilled in the arts of conjuration. She preferred fighting with spears, but I liked variety. After years of practice, I could conjure throwing knives, swords, axes, even a bow and arrows.

To fix the problem that the bracers presented us, Virisa and I both had enchanted pieces of fabric wrapped around our right arms, hidden under our sleeves, designed to block the draining effect of the bracers. Sure they cost a fortune, but this was not a low budget project. Adairan however, had never had much skill in magic, so he felt no need to wear one.

From there, we were escorted to an enormous spiral staircase. A tall slender butler greeted us at the bottom with a low bow. "Please take your time ascending the steps. We wouldn't want the lady to faint, would we?"

We chuckled and father answered, "Thank you Serjo." He used the word Serjo instead of Sir as that was the custom in Morrowind where we were supposed to be from. Saying sir would make an observant person suspicious.

I smiled on the way up. These Imperials and their weak tempered nobles. My mother could sprint up these steps to the top without stopping, as could I. This was why we could make a living by extortion in Cyrodiil. Humans always seemed to advertise their weaknesses somehow. And what's more, they accepted their weakness rather than ridding themselves of it.

A pair of guards stood on the stairs to stop anyone from going higher than the party. They politely directed us to the entryway of a ballroom. A servant dressed in finery stood at the entrance and my father whispered into his ear. The man strode to the middle of the entrance and announced loud enough for all to hear.

"Lord Adairan Urshar, lady Virisa Urshar, and their son Han lu Urshar!" The announcer strode to the side as my parents entered the room arm in hand. I followed exactly three paces behind, head high, chest out, and white gloved hands clasped behind my back.

I calmly searched the crowd, seeing the Emperor on the opposite side of the room. All eyes were on us and for a brief moment the Emperor and I made eye contact. The man was past middle aged, his hair a solid silver in color. Still, he showed no weakness in his demeanor. He stood like a young man with an old mans face. His eyes… His eyes were piercing, in an unsettling way. I politely bowed my head in acknowledgement before his attention was again drawn to someone closer at hand.

This was the simple part. I stayed near my parents and they mingled with the nobility. Nobody had ever met us before and many were eager for news from Morrowind. Adairan had taken such care in constructing his false life story that it amazed even me. I'd never been to Morrowind, but my father's enthusiasm in telling his fake tales of the land nearly had me convinced that we were in fact sent here by King Helseth.

In a corner, a musical group played waltzes for the nobles who were feeling spry. I tried to avoid eye contact with any member of the opposite sex, particularly those of my age. I had no intention of putting my mother's dancing lessons to use unless I had to.

After a half hour of spinning tales and laughing with numerous nobles from all parts of Tamriel, we were approached by a tall proud man of around thirty years. He bowed deeply, " Lord Urshar, I am Geldell Septim."

Father and I bowed in return and mother curtsied. "An honor Sera, to be approached by the Emperors firstborn."

"My father wishes to make your acquaintance," he invited with a gracious flourish of his hand.

"We would be delighted," my father replied. We followed him to where Emperor Uriel Septim conversed with anyone close at hand. Two guards stood poised behind him, not just legionnaires, but no doubt members of the Blades, Uriel's secretive personal task force. The Emperor was dressed in a purple and red cloak covering other extraordinary garments. His graying hair and minor wrinkles revealed years of struggle to maintain his Empire, but his eyes, those piercing blue eyes seemed to see all. I did my best to conceal the chill that ran up my spine.

For a moment, under his gaze, I broke out in an irrational sweat. Could he know? Maybe his spies had found out about our plans. I shook myself. 'Stop being paranoid!' I thought angrily. I wouldn't fail this mission.

Geldell introduced us. "Father, this is Adairan Urshar, his wife Virisa, and their son, Han lu."

We once again bowed graciously. "It is an honor to be in your presence your highness," mother offered.

"A pleasure to greet you to my court," Uriel replied. I'd thought that an Emperor's voice would be large and magnanimous, but he was calm and gracious like the other nobles. There was however, something different in his voice. I quickly assumed it to be an air of confidence from his position and forgot about it. "You've already met my son Geldell. This is my daughter Lunea." He indicated a girl just younger than I, as a young man escorted her back from the dance. Her blue eyes were nearly as piercing as her father's and her blond hair was tied up with strings of pearls.

She curtsied, the hem of her white dress piling on the floor. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance."

The Emperor searched around him briefly, "I'd introduce you to the Empress, but she seems to have disappeared into the throng."

My heart was racing and I quietly took deep breaths to calm myself. My father caught my eye. His hand clasped around his wrist behind his back. His free hand was flat. He was telling me that now was not the time. I calmed my pulse and once again, smiled politely.

"My court has never had the pleasure of your presence before. I hear King Helseth suffers from extraordinary difficulties in his lands."

"Yes, the quarantine on the island of Vvardenfell makes it difficult to conduct business."

They went on about politics and I watched the Emperor, trying not to draw attention. However, his daughter's glances became increasingly difficult to ignore. I kept trying, heedless until my mother discreetly snapped a finger at me and gestured to the girl. I clenched my teeth and kept my eyes from rolling in their sockets.

Placing a hand on my father's shoulder, I said, "Pardon the interruption, but perhaps I could ask the lady for a dance."

"Of course," Uriel accepted. I offered Lunea my arm and escourted her to the center of the room among couples of humans and elves.

"I must apologize in advance," I insisted. "Put a sword in my hand and I can move like a cat, but as soon I enter the ballroom, I grow two left feet."

The girl giggled. "You know, I think I've heard that one before."

I chuckled too. "Yes, I imagine you do a lot of dancing, being the Emperor's daughter and all." I took her left hand with my right and placed my left on her waist, then we joined the other dancers.

"Don't you," she asked? "Don't they dance in Morrowind?"

"On occasion," I answered. "Imperial politics are much more polite than ours. Mostly we scheme and plot while keeping a watchful eye on our backs." Like my father, I'd spent a lot of time practicing my cover. However, I'd had to study much more than he since I hadn't been to Morrowind since leaving as a young baby.

"Well, that would explain why you boast of your swordsmanship. Do you have to fight often?"

"Yes, Morrowind is a dangerous place. Unless you want to hide behind city walls your whole life a dunmer has to fight. And even then..." I let the sentence hang unfinished as I spun Lunea in circles.

"So is that all you do for fun? You just fight?"

"You make me sound like a Nord." She grinned at my jest. "Actually I study magic too. It's still aimed mostly toward combat, but at least I can lay claim to some scholarly hobbies."

"And what of your countrymen? I don't meet many people from Morrowind."

"Honestly, dark elves aren't very pleasant company. That's why..." I almost said that's why my father left.

"That's why what," she pressed?

I bit my lip, trying not mess up the dance, but scrambling for a different ending to the sentence. "That's why I... uh, mostly keep to myself. Unless you love slandering your political opponents or making slaves miserable, the only good group activity left is hunting and fighting."

Lunea cocked her head at me as if looking at me in a new light. "You're much more open than the other dark elves I've met. Like you said, they only ever want to talk about others faults."

"Do you associate with many Dark elves," I asked?

"Whenever I can. You can often be a prideful and staunch people, much like the Nords to the North, but at least you can hold an intelligent conversation." The pace of the dance suddenly increased and it took all my concentration to perform the movements correctly. Lunea however, seemed completely at ease, almost as if she were leading the movements rather than I. As the song came to a close she fanned herself.

"I think that's enough dancing for the moment." She held out her hand for me to lead her off the floor and I prayed thanks to Azura that I hadn't stepped on her foot. I glanced across to my mother who made a circle in the air with her finger. She wanted me to continue entertaining the princess, though whether it was a part of the mission or she just enjoyed seeing me going through the motions of courting, I couldn't tell.

"Tell me Han lu, you mentioned slaves. Is slavery still prevalent in Morrowind?"

"Yes," I answered simply. I didn't much care for the idea of slavery myself, but for the purposes of my disguise, I had to be a convincing Telvanni noble. "Most of the ruling class are insistent on defending their rights to own slaves. As I said, they don't make pleasant company."

"Aren't most of the slaves beast races?" By beast race, she meant the Khajiit, the cat people of Elsweyr and Argonians, the lizard people from Black Marsh.

"Yes, most are, but a sentence of slavery is also a popular and practical punishment for criminal activity," I explained. "So no race is exempt."

"I'm sorry," Lunea apologized, " but that dance made me feel a bit warm, could we step out onto the balcony?" I guided her through the crowd and out a decorative archway. The balcony extended halfway around the tower. I noticed as we stepped into the cool night air that the only people out here were couples, spaced out along the railing far enough to have privacy.

My heart leaped into my throat. "You, um... seem to be very at ease. Most humans are a little... put off by dark elves."

She leaned back against the stone rail, showing off the graceful arc of her back. "Hmm, it's probably the red eyes. I've lived with such a variety of guests all my life that I suppose I'm used to it. Everyone is different, but eventually you start to see traits that all members of a race have in common." I walked up to the rail beside her and pretended to look over the city, but really, I was taking the opportunity to scan the area and plan my jump for after the assassination.

"For example," she leaned in close to my ear and whispered. "Dunmer are used to secrets and subterfuge. They relax rather than draw back when you speak like this." She was right. I could almost feel her lips brush my ear, but I hadn't budged. I got the feeling that she knew exactly what she was doing to my heart rate.

"Well you aren't exactly the most threatening person," I defended, sure to say it in a joking manner. She withdrew, her point made. I scrambled to keep the conversation going. "So I've told you what I do for fun and what my countrymen do. Is this what you do?"

She shot me a questioning glance. "What's that?"

"Steal the the hearts of young traveling nobles the day before they must return home?"

Her wry smile gave away the answer. "It's a hobby unique to my position."

I laughed without trying to conceal it and was about to respond when a male voice called from the ballroom.

"Ladies and gentlemen, dinner is served!"

"I ought to return you to your father," I quickly decided.

"Wait," Lunea interjected. "Perhaps you could join us. The conversation at my father's table is always the same and has come to bore me." I bit my lip. That wasn't a part of the plan, but it would put me closer to the Emperor.

Thinking quickly, I answered," It would be my pleasure," and escorted her away.


	2. Chapter 2 The Emperor's Assassination

I'd told my parents of the change in plans. They politely approved much to Princess Lunia's delight. My father's confidence in me showed, in how quickly he accepted the adjustment.

I was currently seated a mere four chairs away from Uriel. The anticipation had my palms moist with perspiration. I had already memorized the people around me. The Emperor had two of his Blades agents standing behind his chair in their unique steel armor. They both wore katanas, long curved single edged swords with a thin blade for fast swordplay. The only other person between us who might fight me was the Emperor's second son. On my right were a string of nobles seated along the long table. Most were old and wouldn't present a threat.

The room took up half the floorspace on this level of the tower and formed a semicircle. Tables were set up to line the outside edge of the room in rows with the Emperor's table in the center against the windows. My parents were seated far to the right, also against the windows. Dad had probably bribed one of the ushers to get them those seats.

Our escape route would be through a window almost directly behind them. So assuming I killed the Emperor where he now sat, I'd have to run past a couple tables of nobles. Mother would surely keep many of them suppressed with her magic as I escaped. I glanced to my father every so often for a sign, but so far, he was biding his time.

I returned my attention the the conversations going on around me. The affairs of nearly every district in the Empire were being discussed. Lunia glanced at my untouched plate of some exotic succulent meat. It's the one detail I hadn't paid any attention to.

"Is the boar not to your tastes," she asked.

"Actually I'm feeling out of sorts tonight. My appetite isn't its normal self."

"Are you ill. I could have you escorted to my father's physician."

"I hope it doesn't come to that. I'm alright for now, thank you." We fell silent again and I hoped it would stay that way. Lunia may have been a pleasant girl, but I had other things to concentrate on. Inevitably she became bored of the political talk and turned back to me.

"So when you said you keep to yourself, does that include women?"

How was I supposed to reply to that? In reality, any romantic relationships I'd had were much like what was happening between us. I'd pretended to get close to a mark before so that my family could extort someone close to them, but I'd rarely had real relationships outside my father's organization, male or female. The nature of our work and the fact that we were always moving never allowed for friends. If I weren't a hardened criminal, some might have called me sheltered.

"Yes," was my simple reply. I almost wanted to confide in her, but I held my tongue. The Emperor stood up and my heart skipped a beat. He was going to cross right behind me to visit another part of the room.

I ignored Lunia's next question and faked a loud fit of coughing. This caught my parent's attention across the room and they saw me take out my hip flask and drink. Lunia would assume it was some sort of tonic. The potion would only last a couple minutes, so it was time.

Uriel was nearly behind me, his guards at his back. Lunia had one hand on my shoulder, asking me if I was alright. I called my magic to my right hand and summoned a spectral copy of my broadsword while my parents drank their potions. My left arm threw Lunia clear as I stood, knocking over my chair. I twisted and drove the sword into the Emperor's side with all my strength. I felt the resistance as it slid between his ribs and the crack reverberated back to my arm when they broke. Only the most savage of stabs carried enough power to do that.

The tip of the dark blue blade stuck out of the Emperors left side. Our faces were inches apart for a split second, but I didn't waste the time to look at him. I left the first sword in him and conjured a second as I pushed his body into one of his guards. I turned to the second guard right in time. He drew his katana, intending to slice my belly open with a single stroke, but my second sword was already there to block it. I twisted my whole body, pushing his sword to the right and out of the way. Meanwhile, I conjured a heavy spectral mace to my left hand and followed through with the twisting motion. The ghostly weapon smashed into his helmet, knocking him over the Emperor's son and onto the table.

I turned to retreat to my parent's position, taking in all the details I could as fast as possible. There was screaming everywhere. Some of the nobles were coming to their senses and scrambling out of their chairs. Before they had time to decide whether they wanted to fight or flee, my mother reached out her hand and sent out sparks of electricity, shocking a whole row of nobles in my way. They spasmed and fell as I ran by, completely unprepared for the attack. A bolt of flames hit the stone next to my head from a guard across the room and dad tipped his whole table over to give them cover and add to the pandemonium.

By the time I reached them, they were grabbing for my sleeves and we all leaped as one through the window. That's when it went wrong. One of the nobles at their table had gathered his wits and caught hold of my shoe. The slowfall potion should have given us plenty of distance to float over the walls of the city, but the man slowed me down, wrenching me from my parent's grip. I was now tumbling slowly downward, right to the base of the tower. Dad grabbed mom before they floated too far away from each other. They were drifting fast enough that they could at least make it outside the castle courtyard and escape into the city.

But my father would never leave me behind. I heard him order mom to escape and pushed away from her, giving her the momentum to land near the stable while he sailed back toward me and the tower. Mother screamed for us, unable to do anything else. Her trajectory was set and there was no way for her to return to us. Dad and I were nearly to the ground when he slammed into the side of the tower. His hands fought for purchase on the stone tower and he gained control of his fall, getting his feet underneath him.

"Han, weapon!" I'd forgotten all about my conjured weapons and they'd fizzled out of existence. I quickly conjured a new sword for each of us and tossed him one. I almost hit the ground upside down, so I put my arms down and battle rolled to my feet. "To the gate Han!"

Dad hit the ground running and in a moment, I was by his side. The courtyard gardens were nearly empty. There was yelling from the tower and I was sure the guards on the outer wall were rousing themselves after my screaming mother floated over them.

We followed the main path leading to the enormous wooden gate. Two Imperial guards stood in our way. One drew his sword while the other scrambled for his bow. I switched my sword to my left hand and conjured a throwing knife to my right. I threw it with practiced precision and it clanged loudly against the archer's helmet. He dropped the bow in surprise and stumbled.

Dad engaged the swordsman, blocking the first stroke and following with a chop to the armpit where the armor was weak. Instead of bothering with the archer's armor, I tackled him headlong into the gate, driving his helmet into the wood with a palm strike. His chain mail didn't protect his torso from the weight of my tackle and once again, I felt ribs break.

The force of the tackle got the gate swinging open. Dad threw the injured swordsman to the side and I let my opponent fall to the ground while we shoved the heavy gate open. We slipped out onto a short bridge, leading to the city. We might've been home free, but the city guard had been attracted to the area by the noise. Three men stood at the end of the bridge, two legionnaires in heavy plate armor and a battlemage.

The mage sent a spell my way and I barely had time to cast a barrier between us. I was still at a full sprint and dad fell behind me to avoid the spells. I remember how my heart was pumping, how the sweat felt cool on my face, the sensation as the fire spell burst against my shield spell, causing a bright flash all around us. The legionnaires rushed forward and met us on the bridge. I had to let the ward spell drop so I could concentrate on sword fighting.

At the end of the bridge, the battlemage strafed to the side, trying to get an angle on me without hitting his comrades. My magic reserves were faltering and I only had enough power in me for another spell or two. I chopped at the soldier's steel helmet, making it ring, but causing no injury. I could have capitalized on his stagger, but I had to spin to the side to dodge a fireball from the mage.

The soldier swiped upwards at me and I jumped backwards out of the way. He followed up by stepping towards me. I blocked his stab and stepped forward past his sword, grabbed him by the helmet, and pulled him forward off balance. He stumbled past me, out of the way. I immediately warded off the spell I knew would come from the mage and turned to help my dad. As I kicked his opponent flat footed over the edge of the bridge, it seemed I was invincible. I used up most of my remaining magic to conjure a throwing knife, but before I could throw it at the mage, an arrow from another guard up the street struck me in the waist.

I screamed, feeling the steel tip drive into my pelvis bone. Before I even hit my knees, a bolt of fire struck me broadside and I burst into flame. I fell shrieking to the ground and rolled to put out the fire, breaking the arrow off at the skin.

Dad picked up the knife I'd dropped and sunk it right into the mages stomach with a flawless throw. He turned to the legionnaire I'd thrown off balance and kicked him savagely in the helmet before he could get back up. Another arrow flew from the street and took him in the shoulder.

With the flames out and lightly burned skin, I crawled to my feet, putting pressure on the stinging arrow wound with one hand and wearily dragged my sword up. I was only able to stay on my feet for a few seconds and collapsed again from the pain. Dad broke off the arrow in his shoulder with a shout of rage right before he took another.

Within moments we were surrounded by soldiers with swords pointed at us on the ground. I knew some healing spells, but I had no magic left in me and I couldn't pull the arrow out. We were captured after assassinating the Emperor. The best I could hope for was a swift execution.


	3. Chapter 3 Shame and Vengeance

To my surprise, we weren't executed on the spot. We were arrested, our injuries treated, and hauled to the prison outside the city. They put different bracers on me after removing the piece of leather I used to block its magic. They separated dad and I, putting us in different parts of the prison. I was put high up in the tower. My cell was roomy, with stone walls, a straw bed, a small table and chair. There was even a window I could climb up to with a view of the bay surrounding the Imperial city.

Many of the prisoners in the cells near mine tried calling to me. Some wanted to know what I'd done, others asked if I knew their loved ones on the outside. All of them wanted news, but I didn't speak a word. Unlike them, I kept quiet dignity in defeat.

The first day was uneventful, but on the second, interrogators from the blades questioned me in my cell. I gave them no answers and asked for none in return.

I kept a quiet hope that Virisa, Fargoth, and Bargrum would come up with some sort of rescue, but this was the most secure prison in Cyrodiil. Even their wits would be put to the test.

On the third day, I got a visit from the last person I ever would have expected. The prisoners around me were transported to other parts of the prison, one at a time. It was at this time that I decided not to give up. I began a workout regimen to keep my body fit. At midday, I was doing sit ups against the back wall when I heard lots of footsteps approach through the hall. At this point they had emptied the whole cell block and I was the only one there. Still, I pretended not to notice when the men stopped outside my cell.

"You there!" A guard tapped on the bars with a small club. "Stand at attention!"

Instead, I laid down flat after a sit up and glanced at the group upside down. When I saw who it was, I did scramble to my feet, just to make sure my eyes weren't deceiving me. There stood Emperor Uriel Septim. I stumbled slowly toward the door, mouth agape.

"You... you used a fake. A body double."

The Emperor shook his head. "You caused a wound that few are capable of, but one of the most renowned healers in Tamriel was at the party and she was by my side before you'd even reached the window."

"That's not fair. That's not fair!" I lunged through the bars and grabbed the Emperor by his collar. However, the guards were quick and grabbed my arm before I could hurt him. Uriel readjusted his clothes before continuing, undaunted.

He had his men fetch him a chair and leave the two of us to talk. He took the seat, just out of my reach and indicated that I should take my chair.

"I'll stand thanks."

"You're not impressing anyone."

"I don't care if you're impressed. Now what do you have to say to me?"

He stared at me sternly for a moment before answering. "Usually, you'd be executed by now."

"So get on with it. Where's the headsman?"

Uriel sighed. "It's not that simple." Once again, he sat silently for a time. "Do you know why I'm the Emperor?"

I thought hard. "They say the Septims have dragon blood or some such nonsense."

"Yes. As the stories go, Tiber Septim, the first Emperor, was chosen by the divine Akatosh to be his champion. The descendents of his line are dragonborn."

"Why should I be interested in this history old man?"

Uriel's face suddenly changed. He flew into a rage, knocking over his chair and grabbing the bars of my cell. He shouted, "Because the dragon blood allows me to receive visions from the divines! I see the different paths the people around me can take and the fates their actions will lead to! I must guide the path of Tamriel as my predecessors have or the dreams will drive me mad! And as much as I want to kill you for stabbing me and manipulating my innocent daughter, I have to let you play your role!"

There was fury in his voice. Conviction I'd never seen before. I was forced to step backwards and shivers ran up my spine. Now I knew why the Septims had successfully run the Empire more than three hundred years. They didn't just have an advantage, they were forced to rule. Cursed with ambition. I had no reply and for the first time in my life, I was afraid to make eye contact.

The anger on the Emperor's face seemed so out of place, I got the impression that he rarely got angry at all. "Han-lu Urshar, your father has been sentenced to death and is on his way to the headsman right now. Your mother will face the same fate if we ever find her. It is practice for Emperors to destroy bloodlines that threaten the Empire. This means that usually, I'd have you executed, but I am forbidden by the divines.

"You will stay in this prison until I say and after that, you will still never sire enemies to assassinate my children once my time is over." He left with a flourish of his cloak and the jailers returned. One was a mage. He cast a paralyzing spell which I was powerless to block. My frozen body fell stiff to the ground while they entered my cell. The mage drew a razor-sharp blade and conjured a flame to sanitize the metal.


	4. Chapter 4 The Arena

I lasted a week, sobbing for hours on end. I didn't know if I believed that my father was dead. They could have just told me that as a lie to make me suffer.

In speaking with the Emperor, I'd gotten the idea that he would send me somewhere, but after days in an otherwise empty cell block, I was starting to lose faith. The jailor came by twice a day with a weak soup and once a day for my bucket. The rations were bad and I feared I would start to lose weight. On the eighth day, I stopped him just as he was about to leave.

The old man bustled about busily. He'd tried to talk to me a few times, but the Emperor was the only one I'd spoken to. "Sir?"

The jailor looked up from his soup bucket. "Ah, the traitor speaks."

I ignored the jibe and asked, "Am I eligible to fight in the arena?" Here in the Imperial city, there was a large coliseum where combatants fought each other. Most were free men, but prisoners were often offered the chance to compete. For minor criminals, they were even offered forgiveness for their crimes if they survived.

"I'm sure they'd be delighted to let you fight, but don't expect a pardon. Don't expect to win for that matter. They won't go easy on you for your crimes."

"Arrange the fight." Once again, I was resolute. I had a plan to achieve a goal.

The food improved immediately, but not by much. They took three days to prepare a special fight. I received no special instruction during this time, but at the arena, everyone was abuzz. Word had spread of my battle prowess after my capture and the battlemasters were apparently fighting over what challenges to pit against me. Cyrodiil expected me to put up a fight to remember and they had to give me opponents to match.

At first, all the trainers wanted to throw their best at me all at once, but the battle masters decided to try dragging it out. They printed out posters advertising a day of blood. "Come see how long the assassin lasts," they said. These posters were shipped by express courier to every city in Cyrodiil. Thanks to my reputation, everyone would want to see this fight. The profits from the betting would equal mountains of gold. Even the people with no stomach for violence would come to see justice done.

They came for me long before dawn on the third day. They chained the bracers together as I was transported from the prison, under guard to the arena in the city. The moon and the guards torches were the only light. I suppose we had to move that early. If I had been transported during the day, we might have been mobbed.

The arena employees were waiting for us. A young man unlocked an iron gate just in time for us to usher inside. I was led down a set of stairs into a dark underground training area. A single man in iron plate armor sat waiting for me. He was a Redguard. A dark skinned, curly haired human from the desert nation of Hammerfell.

He stood laughing as I approached. "There he is, my champion. Welcome to the arena bloodworks. I'm Owyn, battlemaster of the blue team." He held out his hand for me to shake. I slowly accepted the gesture, surprised by his enthusiasm. He looked to the guards. "I'll take it from here. You gentlemen stand guard outside."

"Are you sure," one of the Legionnaires asked reluctantly?

"I know he's dangerous. Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

With a stern look, the Captain handed Owyn a key and retreated with his men, locking the only exit.

Owyn pointed at me with the key. "Now look here Han..."

"It's Han-lu," I interrupted! "Only my father calls me Han."

"Alright then Han-lu, I've been given free reign to help or hinder you as I please. I'll be your only friendly contact until you die out there so I'd recommend you not try to kill me. Now I also decide whether you get those bracers removed for the fight. I'd rather you have full access to your magic, because the longer you last, the more money the arena makes. If I take the bracers off, do you promise to behave?"

I nodded and he unlocked the appendages. I naturally rubbed my wrists which were raw. I felt the warmth of magic start creeping back into my body. Owyn took one look at the raw skin and asked, "Do you want a healer? We have a few good ones on our staff."

"No thanks." I let the magic flow into my wrists, accelerating their healing until the raw wounds were covered in fresh pink skin.

"Hmm." Owyn was obviously pleased with my skill. "That works for me." He directed me to the end of the training hall where there was a large stone fountain meant for washing away blood and gore. There was also a cot set up in a corner. He pointed to a crate stuffed with straw. "We bought a variety of potions for you to recover from wounds, replenish your magic, and just to restore your overall stamina between rounds. You can use them as you like. Now, wash up in the fountain and I'll get you your armor." He moved to leave, but caught himself. "I almost forgot, do you wear heavy armor or light armor?"

"I'll go with light," I answered, stripping off my rough, dirty prison clothes. I used a sponge to wash myself, rinsing it with the cold fountain water. While I washed, I began to doubt my decision. These people would be intent on killing me in the arena, but if I wanted to be sure of whether my father was dead or alive and whether my mother was safe, I had to speak to someone off the Empires payroll.

Owyn returned with a pile of folded clothes and armor. "This will be your battle raiment." He set it down on the cot and threw me a towel. "Let's shoot straight with each other, shall we? I don't care what happened at the palace. I don't care why you volunteered to fight. What I do care about is putting on a show. So be honest with me. Are you actually going kick butt out there or is this some kind of wimpy suicide?"

"Oh, I'll fight." I held up the garment Owyn had brought. It was mostly studded leather with bits of chainmail and decorative blue fabric. The upper part was a short sleeved shirt with thick strips of leather to protect my shoulders. The sides had chainmail covered in the blue cloth. At the bottom it had long strips of leather two inches wide hanging like a skirt to protect my thighs. The outfit also included leather bracers for my fore arms and shin boots. "The citizens will get their show," I promised. "Owyn, do you know what's become of my parents?"

He looked surprised by the question. "No actually. We had special fighting events lined up the past few days and I've barely been home to sleep, let alone read the papers. I could ask your guards if you like."

I waved my hand in dismissal while pulling the armor on. "I'll figure that out in the arena."

Owyn clapped his hands together. "Okay then, let's head up to the killing grounds." I followed him up a long dark passageway. The walls were made of stone, but in the light up ahead, they seemed to be a dark red color. I avoided touching them. At the surface, the sky was still dark.

The tunnel gave way to a large circular area covered in sand. There were two entrances to the field for contestants, directly across from each other. Once they entered the field, their retreat was cut off by an iron portcullis. There were two sets of large wooden doors, but those were for setting up props for the fights. There was also a steel grate in the middle of the field where they released wild creatures.

Owyn strode backwards to the middle of the field, talking as he went. "Notice the guards," he pointed to the stands at the top of the ten foot high walls. No fewer than eight battle mages and twelve legionnaires stood guard over us with spells and bows ready.

"They aren't taking any chances, are they," I asked?

"Nah. Have you ever watched a match here Han-lu?"

"Yes actually. I helped blackmail one of the battlemasters. She had to rig a few matches for us."

Owyn's eyes widened. "You blackmailed one of us," he asked in disbelief?

"That's what I did for a living."

He burst into laughter. I chuckled along side him. "Hold up, hold up. Was it Eranil the high elf?"

"Mmm hmm. My mother caught wind of an affair and she was happy to help us in exchange for keeping the secret."

Owyn doubled over laughing. He tried to gain control of himself. "She was, she was the trainer for the other team. If she had to rig her own fighters to fail, that means you were making me money. Not only that," he wiped a tear from his eye. "Was that around the time she quit two years back?"

"Yeah, I was sixteen."

"I was brand new here. At first, my fighters were having trouble winning, but then it seemed like we were suddenly able to beat some of our toughest competitors. Kid, it might be thanks to you that I wasn't fired before gaining the experience I needed for this job." He clapped his iron shod hand on my shoulder. "We're gonna get along just fine."

One of the guards up above called down to us. "That doesn't sound like instruction to me. Talk business or get back underground!"

Owyn shrugged. "Yeah yeah, we'll get to it. Alright kid, you'll come out this side and they'll come out the other. The portcullis will be closed before you enter the arena. We'll have a weapon rack right here where you'll be able to pick what you want to use before each fight. Once the portcullis opens, you're free to use any means at your disposal to defeat the enemy." He directed my attention to the field. "They may leave the field empty for some fights, but they'll probably put out obstacles and cover."

"What kind of cover?"

"Well, there have been some old buildings here in the city that they've torn out and replaced. The arena purchased some of the stone blocks and columns from the demolition teams and they'll drag those out onto the field with oxen. Depending on what kind of fight they want, they might build wooden fences with spikes to try to make a maze. If that happens, you'll want a ranged weapon or else somebody will pick you off in the maze."

I took a moment to gather my thoughts, trying to visualize the field with obstacles and cover. "How many fights will there be?"

"Five, depending on how long you last of course. By the way, what kind of magic do you know?"

I took a moment to think over the different types of magic. "I'm best at conjuration. In my line of work, it pays to be able to summon a weapon in a place where you can't carry one."

"Well naturally, but doesn't conjuration also let you summon creatures to fight alongside you?"

"Yes and I'm very skilled at it, but it takes a lot more power than a sword or a bow."

"So to keep that option open, you'll want to use the arenas physical weapons as much as possible," Owyn suggested.

I took one more look around at the guards and turned back to the arena bloodworks with Owyn fast on my heals. "When's the first fight?"

"They start at noon, spaced roughly an hour apart. You have until then to prepare." I acknowledged this quietly, deep in my own thoughts. "Hey Han-lu, how long do you really think you'll last, huh?"

"At least until I know the truth."


	5. Chapter 5 Victory Through Cunning

I stood behind the portcullis as the sun shone in the middle of the sky. In my left hand, I had a recurve bow. I also had a broadsword over my shoulder next to my arrows and a one handed axe on my belt. Owyn had informed me that the first round would be a pack of wolves. He didn't know exactly how many there were in this pack, but that they would only be released three at a time.

I'd forgone taking a helmet or shield for this battle. Against wolves, they'd just be dead weight. I could feel the warmth from the sands outside. The crowd was talking excitedly in anticipation of my fight. There were lots of people making bets on the first bout. They all were silenced by one announcer.

"People of the Imperial city, welcome to the day of blood!" He paused briefly to allow for the cheers that erupted. "As you know, there was recently an attempt on the Emperor's life. Rather than spend a lifetime in prison for his treason, one of the assassins has chosen to try his strength here for all of you to enjoy." Once again the crowd cheered. "My people, it's time for the first round. I give you, HAN-LU URSHAR!"

The portcullis raised to show that huge blocks of marble had been scattered around the arena. A row of drum players set the tone from the stands. I knocked an arrow to my bowstring and proceed toward the trap door in the middle. It swung open and three gray haired wolves climbed out.

My reaction was fast. As soon as the first arrow was buried in the wolf's skull, my hand drew for another. They still hadn't even seen me when the second one fell.

As I aimed for the third, they released another three. My third arrow missed the head and buried itself into the dog's shoulder. It howled and barked, not the least bit interested in me.

The next group advanced on me panting. I ignored the injured one and concentrated on the greatest threat. One more fell to a headshot, but the others tried to flank me. I yelled and waved my bow in the air, knowing all animals were afraid of noise. They hesitated long enough for me to get another shot, an easy kill at this range, but the third group was already on the way.

The remaining wolf from the second group lunged and bit my shin. The leather boot protected me and I grabbed the axe off my belt to give a swift chop to the neck. The dog withdrew, yelping, but now I was being circled by four. Another one bit my leg from behind and the others rushed in. I chopped indiscriminately, keeping my arms high enough to avoid their teeth. I felt one sink into my left thigh and I instinctively fell backwards on top of it. It kicked with its feet, but I grabbed one of its hind legs and chopped at the belly while another chewed on my shoulder armor.

I reached around with my left arm and hooked my last attacker around the neck. It drew back, releasing my shoulder and I grabbed its mouth, the teeth biting into my hand. I pulled the animal close with my left and pushed its head backwards with my right until I felt a snap.

Standing up, I saw that there were three dogs wounded, but still alive. I chopped the neck of the one with the stomach wounds and one other until it was just the one with the arrow in it. He was reaching his head around, trying to bite the arrow off. I picked up the bow and killed it quickly before limping back to the bloodworks. I ignored the cheers and jeers from the crowd. I didn't care what they thought of me.

The announcer yelled, "Wow, what a show. Han-lu has displayed that he can stay cool under pressure, but can he defeat overwhelming odds. Find out at the stroke of one."

Owyn was waiting for me just inside the portcullis. He helped me inside where I tended to my wounds.

"Do you need a potion to recover your magic?"

"No," I replied, unstrapping my boots. "I have plenty of time to recover on my own." I laid down on my cot after I was healed. "Who do I fight in the next round?"

"There's four convicts who volunteered to fight you. I haven't been told if they have any fighting experience, but you'll be fighting them all at the same time, so watch your back."

I acknowledged his advice and napped until it was time to prepare. I jogged in place and stretched to avoid straining anything during the fight. I armed myself the same way as the first fight, but replaced the axe with a mace in case of heavily armored opponents and covered my head with a boiled leather helmet. Once again, I came out of the portcullis with my bow drawn.

The drums started as my first arrow released. I'd picked the enemy with the lightest armor, so when the arrow struck him, it slipped right through his chain mail. This time, there were two bows pointed at me, so I dropped mine and grabbed a shield off the rack. The two enemy arrows thudded into the wood before I'd secured it to my wrist. I rushed forward and ducked behind one of the marble blocks so I could attach my shield properly. I tightened the strap around my forearm and flexed my grip on the iron rung.

I peeked around the rock to find the three convicts advancing slowly in a group. Two wore heavier plate armor and one was in light armor matching mine.

"These jokers will be easier than the wolves," I said to myself. The dogs at least knew flank and surround me.

Having abandoned the bow, I summoned a knife to my right hand and threw it at the other lightly armored man, immediately dodging back into cover to avoid the arrows that flew past. Then I charged before they could draw more arrows. The one man was stumbling backward, concentrated on the knife in his chest. My boot shod legs drove me forward right between the two heavies and right at the lightweight. The heavy on the left dropped his bow and drew for his sword, obviously a somewhat experienced fighter. The one on the right held his bow up in surprise, trying to ward me off.

Without hesitation, I angled myself at the one on the left, plowing him over with my shield before he got his sword out of his scabbard. He fell dazed to the ground and the one with the knife wound lunged at me with his sword. I rolled out of the way, then returned and advanced, swinging my mace to scare him off. Clearly inexperienced, he gave ground easily and allowed me to deliver a crushing blow to the back of his dazed companion's neck. In his rush to scramble up, he'd left his badly armored back to me. The mace crunched his vertebrae near the neck and he fell face first in the sand, unmoving.

Seeing this death made the other two lose their nerve. They threw down their weapons.

"I submit!" They yelled, backing away slowly. The crowd became hushed as I advanced, backing them up to the wall.

"You're going to answer a question for me," I commanded, giving them a fierce look. "Have either of you heard news of my father's fate?"

"Who's your father?" One of them pleaded.

"We don't know who you are," the other one begged. "Look, they just let us out of our cells to fight. They didn't say anything about your family."

"Fine." I drew back and searched the stands for instructions. I hadn't considered that they might forfeit the match. I realized that I hadn't even looked at the crowd during the last round. Of course, I'd been a little preoccupied with my bites after the last fight.

My gaze was drawn to a part of the bleachers that was walled off like a box and decorated in purple. There, the Emperor and his family were seated all together to watch me die. Uriel whispered to a servant who ran to deliver a message to the announcer. Princess Lunia caught my gaze and I smiled for a moment before I remembered that she probably hated me. I toyed with the idea of blowing her a kiss, but settled for an insulting salute at her father who ignored my gesture.

The announcer leaned down to hear the Emperor's message then stood magnanimously. "The Emperor says these criminals lives shall be spared. Han-lu, return to your side and prepare for the next match."

Before doing so, I turned to the survivors and threatened them. "If you tell the Imperials what I asked you, my friends will find you after your sentences are served. You'll be sorry." They both nodded enthusiastically. I had no doubts the blades would question them.

I left the field uninjured this time. Owyn had some food set out for me. I attacked a salad while he briefed me on the next round.

"Have you ever seen a troll before?" I shook my head. Trolls usually dwelt in caves and abandoned dungeons. I'd fought plenty of wild animals and people, but never trolls. "Well then, you should know that they're nasty. They stand like a hunch backed man, but six foot or taller. They're heavy with muscle and have a nasty attitude."

"Do you have any good news for me," I asked sarcastically?

"Yeah, their hair is oily. If you can catch it on fire, it'll roast pretty good. Do you know any fire spells?"

"Not a one. Destruction magic is generally beyond my reach. My mother's a bleeding prodigy, but I can't do anything with it."

"In that case, your best bet would probably be a big warhammer or an axe."

"Right." I put the empty salad bowl down and laid back on the cot.

"You sure you don't want more to eat? They brought in plenty of food."

"No, I need to stay light on my feet. You know that."

Owyn bit his lip for a moment while I tried to sleep. "You know, I've never had a gladiator who rested so well between rounds."

"This is easy. There were a lot of times I had to sleep in the rain at night with daedric cultists looking for me. This is nothing compared to extorting scary people." I left him with that and rested.

For the next round, I did as Owyn suggested and picked up a square headed war hammer with a spike on one end for impaling. The announcer yelled louder than usual, trying to pump up the crowd after the last lackluster event. "Ladies and gentlemen. Today we bring you fierce creatures from far to the north. May I present to you, the trolls of Skyrim!" The gates opened and a green haired beast thumped its way out onto the field on all fours. I stepped out of the shadows and it saw me. The creature roared at the sky in an attempt to intimidate me, then charged over the marble blocks. I waited for it to climb the one in front of me and jump at me before swinging. I hit him square in the stomach while stepping to the right, avoiding his grip.

It crumpled to the ground, but came back up resiliently. I got a good look at his face. There were two black eyes and a number of bony bumps on his forehead. His mouth had wide flat teeth meant for crushing instead of tearing. I swung the hammer again and smacked it right in the bony temple. Once again, it seemed to collapse under my blow, but returned to its feet seemingly unharmed."

I retreated, sliding over the marble to get some distance. The thing was powerful but slow and dumb. I let it climb another stone before swinging right at the trolls knee. This time, I hurt it bad. The knee snapped and the troll fell backwards. Before it could recover, I twisted my hammer and followed up with the war spike, driving into the face.

The crowd went wild at the skillful kill. I turned back to the trapdoor to see a second troll. This one was much bigger and had white fur. Tension gathered in my stomach. I was doubting whether I could kill this one the same way.

I used the same tactic and let it come to me, standing on higher ground. I tried a knee shot, but it only made the troll angry. I rolled to the side when it jumped down at me, but it followed up much faster than I expected and punched me full on in the chest. I sailed backwards, losing my hammer and crashed into the wall.

The troll jumped, stomped, and growled in a show of strength. I stumbled dazed to my feet and reached for my magic. I summoned the ghost of my favorite bow along with nasty barbed arrows. I put two of them in the troll's face with no effect. It charged, taking another arrow in the chest, but as it took a swing at me, I battle rolled past him on the left side and crossed the arena. I put arrow after arrow into the beast with no apparent benefit. He just followed me and followed me until he looked like a pincushion.

I could hear scattered laughter from the crowd as it chased me around the arena. I had to change tactics. In desperation, I tried to conjure a flame, a spark, even an ember, but it was to no avail. I didn't have any fire in me.

Owyn told me I could use any means to win. I slid across a piece of marble to hide and crawled away to lose the troll. I peeked over my cover to find him angrily searching for me. Up above him, the Emperor was sitting on the edge of his seat, anxious to see if I'd survive. All around him and all around the arena, there were still archers and battle mages standing guard. Battle mages with fireballs at their fingers, I realized.

I stood and yelled, firing another arrow at the beast. It roared at me and charged. I aimed another arrow and waited, scanning around the Emperor. There was a decorative solid oak table with cross beams between the legs near his family. I raised my bow away from the troll and pointed it at the crossbeams. From the crowd, I heard a collective gasp when everyone assumed I was aiming for the Emperor. Many of the guards dropped food they had been eating as my arrow scraped the side of the bow. I caught the gaze of the Emperor as he realized I wasn't aiming at him.

As soon as my arrow was away, I dropped to the ground, let my bow fizzle away, and covered myself with a ward spell. When the troll hit the ground, it was pelted with whatever spells the mages could come up with. Some had cast fire or frost while others thought to cast a paralyzing spell first. The effect was that the troll landed unmoving on top of me on fire. My ward protected me from the flames and the trolls hide protected me from the arrows.

"Stop, stop," Uriel yelled! I kept my ward up, because I couldn't tell if the troll was still burning. "Are you alive assassin?"

I groaned, trying to push the hulk off of myself. The whole front of my body was covered in sand. With a great effort, I half crawled half dug my way out from under the troll. The cheers of excitement were deafening when I emerged unharmed. I stood and brushed myself off as best I could, then raised my arms to the crowd. Many turned to jeering, but all were impressed.

After a few minutes, the Emperor held up his arms and all fell silent. "Han-lu, what did you just do? I saw that the arrow wasn't aimed at me."

I cleared my throat and answered loudly. "I was told I was allowed to use any means necessary to defeat my opponent. I couldn't overpower the troll, so I made use of your battlemages."

"A bold move. I doubt many would have taken the risk."

"Yes well, stabbing you was also a bold move, but that didn't pay off as I'd hoped. This, however did." I indicated the charred troll with my hand.

You could have heard a pin drop. Not only did nobody talk, but nobody seemed to move either. Had anyone ever spoken so frankly to the Emperor? Possibly not.

All eyes were on Uriel Septim. I stood casually, as if I killed trolls and offended Emperors every day. He decided to break the silence with laughter, dispelling all the tension in the arena. The crowd followed suit and laughed, giving me an impression of a herd of sheep.

Uriel sat back in his special throne. "The day of blood will continue!" He spoke simply.

He could have had me killed for that, I thought. He did say he had plans for me. As I returned to the bloodworks, I wondered whether I wanted any part of them.


	6. Chapter 6 A Smuggled Message

"I couldn't believe what I was seeing." Owyn had been watching the fight from behind the portcullis. "I don't know what was more gutsy, facing the troll or the Emperor."

"Oh, the troll took a lot more nerve, rest assured."

"These fights are like a dream come true," Owyn gushed. "Today is my finest hour as a battlemaster and there may never be a day to compare.

Yeah, I thought, because you help so much. Rather than say it, I let Owyn have his moment.

A guard called from the back of the cell. "Assassin, you have a visitor." Owyn and I looked at each other questioningly. When he shrugged, I went to the barred exit to find Princess Lunia waiting for me. What could she want?

"You really have no shame for what you did, do you? No regret whatsoever," she accused.

"I regret botching my escape."

"I can honestly say I've never met anyone as insolent as you."

I drew myself up, meeting her gaze. "Don't look down your nose at me and call yourself morally superior. You think your father's hands are clean? You don't think his servants have done the same things I've done?" Her indignant stare turned to sober anger.

"The Empire has brought peace and commerce to all Tamriel," she retorted.

"That's your mantra isn't it? Do you understand why there's peace? It's because anyone willing speak or fight against your father's will is dead by now. And don't you dare think that trade and commerce automatically generate the pearls, jewelry, and fine linens you wear. Your dad took power from local kings and their people pay for your life of luxury with their labors. In a way, I'm just like your father. The only difference is I don't have the blades or a legion to do my will. I slit throats by my own hand and face the consequences without stone walls and high towers to protect me from my enemies. Quit fooling yourself Princess. It's unbecoming of you."

She had no reply, but refused to leave as if trying to come up with an argument. Here in this dark dungeon, she glowed like a torch. Despite what I thought of her family and that we were at odds, I still felt warmth from her presence.

"You know, you should be careful talking to strangers like you did to me on the balcony." I paused to let her remember leaning in so close to my ear. "People might start accusing you of being a floozy."

She put on an indifferent face. "Contrary to popular opinion, I don't much care what people think. You least of all, so you can keep your thoughts to yourself concerning the Empire." I burst out in laughter. I tried to reply, but couldn't get a grip on myself. "What's so funny," she demanded.

"Oh please. Then why did you come here?" I stumbled against the wall, losing strength in my legs from the lack of air. "No no no. I think you came here specifically because you're impressed. You've never seen someone so unafraid of your dad before and you're wondering what's so different about me. It probably has you vexed. The answer to that is that I wasn't raised to see people as good and bad. I was taught that some are strong and some are weak. Some bow and some rule. Some work and some exploit. The difference is that I see no evil in exploiting the exploiters."

I hung my arms lazily on the bars between us and looked Lunia right in her crystal blue eyes. "You have every right to hate me, but let me leave my mark on you. You'll grow old and I won't. That's clear now. You'll be influential your whole life so when someone comes to you claiming to be good or have good intentions, remember that there are workers and exploiters, that everyone has an agenda regardless of good and evil. A good leader must understand that." I smiled through the bars and reluctantly, her gaze softened also. "Will there be anything else my lady?"

She shook her head, golden hair hanging so softly. I wanted to reach out and touch it, but I dared not. "Then you should return to your family."

Once again she hesitated, but I left her standing at the gate and returned to Owyn.

"You only have ten minutes left. That last round went long," Owyn informed me.

"Right," I replied, refocusing on the task at hand. "Who am I fighting?"

"Three mages. One of them is a skilled conjurer like you, but the other two are regular battle mages. They might have various other magic skills."

"Right." I went to the potion crate and sorted through the bottles with blue insides. Alchemists used dye to indicate what type of potion it was and only labeled specifics on tags. I found one labeled "fortify magic" and took it along with a restore magic potion.

Owyn looked nosily over my shoulder. "What ones are you using?"

"This one will replenish my magic if I run low during the fight and this one will help me recover my magic naturally at an accelerated rate. I started my first two fights with a bow, so they'll most likely be expecting that. Maybe I can trick them and take them all out with an illusion."

Owyn approved of my strategy and sent me up with the two potions in hand. I tied the recovery potion to my belt with a thin string of leather, but kept the other in hand. At the top, I armed myself only with a long steel dagger. If this was going to work, I'd have to be light and fast.

When the announcer started speaking, I drained the first potion and readied my magic. Thinking quickly, I moved to a shadowy corner and waited for the match to begin. As soon as the noisy chains raised the portcullis, I cast a spell called chameleon. It tricked people's eyes into seeing right through me. It was far from a perfect spell. If you looked closely, you could still make out an outline of a chameleoned person and it was a difficult spell to maintain, but in my shadowy corner, it worked fine.

The mage's on the other side rushed out onto the field. A human and a tall female high elf, with the golden tinged skin of her people readied fire and ice to cast at me. The third, an orc immediately summoned a creature out of thin air to fight. I recognized it as a fire atronach. There were atronachs of each elemental magic. These creatures were rarely seen in the wild. They couldn't speak and were generally hostile, so nobody knew where they were from. This creature was easy to identify. The body was made of fire, but there was a

frame that the flames licked around. From where I stood, it looked like ornamental iron, cast into the rough shape of a man like an art piece. The torso was ribbed, but the boots, helmet, and bracers were all solid. The pieces weren't connected by anything but flame making it appear like some sort of evil wraith.

They all stared right into the enclosure where I stood, but none of them spotted me. After looking to each other questioningly, they turned to the stands, hoping someone would explain where their opponent was. As soon as their attention was turned, I sprinted and jumped across the field. As I neared, I cast another illusion spell. This one muffled the sound of my movement. My footfalls were quiet and my print in the sand was the only clue my opponents had of my presence. I ran past the human and high elf and slashed their throats before they knew what was happening.

I closed on the orc with the intention to immobilize her and ask my questions, but just before I could reach her, the atronach turned its helmet toward me, flame curling from two eyeholes in the metal. It unleashed a torrent of fire and in order to ward it off, I had to drop my attention from my illusion spells. The Orc turned and spotted me adding another torrent of flame. Behind my ward, I summoned a spear and stuck it in the ground before chugging my last potion.

With a full reserve of magic, I advanced on the pair with the spear in hand. One thrust to the atronachs flaming helmet sent the creature back to where it came from. I don't think the Orc noticed her creatures demise. The flames licking around me must have blocked her view and that was to my advantage. I dropped the spear and advanced on her, fire breaking beautifully upon my invisible shield. I advanced until I could see her face. Her eyes widened in shock and she tried to retreat, dropping her spell.

I dropped my ward. Her magic was low, but mine was near full. I grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her into my right hook, my fist driving into her face. She recovered, undaunted and threw a right hook of her own. I stepped back and dodged. She faked a left jab and used the motion to step on my foot. I pulled away fiercely, but was unable to free myself before taking an uppercut to the jaw.

I collapsed and before I knew what was happening, her hands were clamped over my windpipe. I tried prying her hands off without success before remembering the dagger on my belt. I fumbled for the handle and buried it in her side. She let go and I drove my forehead into her wide nose.

Before she could do anything, I rolled us over and put my knee on her chest. I grabbed her by the hair while she howled in pain.

"You're going to tell me what I want or I'll kill you slow. Have they found my mother yet?" She growled and struggled to get out of my hold, but using her hair, I pulled on her head and pressed ever harder on her solar plexus. Any more pressure and something was sure to break. "Curse you to Oblivion Orc! Answer me!"

Grunting in pain, she spat through clenched teeth, "No, Virisa Urshar was still on the run last I heard."

"And what of Adairan? Is he he still in prison?"

The orcs green eyes glowed with hate. "No, they took him to the block. He's dead as a doornail."

Her words sent an ice cold spike through my heart. My fingers lost their hold and the orc scrambled out from underneath me. I fell sitting on my rear and there I stayed. The news hit me with full force. Dad was dead and he'd died trying to fix my mistake. If I'd been more careful, cut down the nobles in my way instead of running passed, that one never would have been able to grab me.

My hollow eyes raised to the orc, who was clutching her side and draining a portion. I took in the howling faces of the Imperial citizens in the stands, baying for my blood. Some of them had probably been at the party. Maybe even the one who'd ruined my escape. Humans, elves, and beasts alike all called for my extermination. The bleachers were a mess, a blur of angry faces to my blank mind.

I sat in self pity for what could have been a lifetime and that would have been very short if a figure hadn't darted to the rail from the audience. A wood elf, curly fair hair. Wiry form. Fargoth was in the crowd, no doubt sent by mother. He clutched an envelope in his hand. My gaze lingered on his tear streaked face as he screamed for me to get up, his voice drowned out entirely. He saw the recognition in my eyes and the pain in his own pressed me to move.

The orc mage had recovered her magic and assuming my spirit to be broken, had walked around me, waving to the stands and summoned two atronachs for a spectacular finishing blow. This victory would make her famous and she was going to make a show out of it. With the two atronachs behind me, she moved to my front, blocking Fargoth from my view.

"You should know, after the execution, they paraded your father's head through the city. I even bought a drink for one of the guards who took you into custody. This world is better off without you."

The empty spot inside me filled with brimstone. My anger toward these people could not be described by words, so I would show my disgust through my actions. I would show loathing and contempt deeper than most men ever dream. I concentrated to use a spell I'd only ever practiced in secret because it was outlawed in Cyrodiil. A controversial piece of magic. At my will, the dead bodies of the mages I'd killed rose from the sand and stood on their own feet. With unfocused eyes and blood spilling from their throats, they tackled the atronachs, heedless of the heat that burnt their flesh.

While they wrestled, I advanced slowly on the orc, her eyes wide with horror. The crowd gasped and some even fainted. Guards were yelling excitedly, some thinking they ought to intervene and put the bodies down with their bows while the battlemasters plead for them to let the match unfold.

"Necromancy," the orc demanded? "Are you mad?"

Upon seeing my eyes, she threw fire from one hand, but I knocked it aside. She tried again as if punching, but once again, I blocked and this time grappled, twisting her around, taking the dagger from her side and shoving it into her throat before she could regain her balance.

I raised her from the dead with the other two who were charred from the atronachs bodies, but were unaffected in their movement or utility. Now was the time to put on a show. I forced the dead mages into a bowing position.

"Do you hate me Cyrodiil?" I charged around the edge of the arena, encouraging the booing and jeers. "Is this all you can throw at me? Come on show me what you've got!"

Inevitably, someone threw a piece of fruit and the rest followed the example. I walked around the edge, letting the people throw scraps at me before making eye contact with Fargoth, who was hanging on the rail, exhausted by the tension. Without needing to speak to each other, he knew what I was doing. He crumpled the envelope he was holding and tossed it at me as I walked past. I stopped, picking up a perfectly good apple for show and hid the letter in my left hand before heading back to the bloodworks.

Once out of the sight of the guards, I opened the letter and let the sun shine on it from the tunnel entrance. It was from my mother in very hurried handwriting, her calligraphy skills being thrown to the wind.

My son, I am safe. The Empire won't find me. I'm sorry to say that whatever you've been told, Adairan has been beheaded. I am so sorry. Bargrum, Fargoth, and I are trying to come up with a rescue plan, but security is at an all time high at your prison and we would need a small army to retrieve you from the arena. Right now, this letter is all I can give you. Once again, I am so very sorry. I shouldn't have let us do that job. Don't give up Han-lu. I'll think of something.

That was it. 'I'll think of something' was not a good sign. It meant that she didn't yet have a clue where to start. After so much practice in subterfuge, we usually at least had a couple thoughts or ideas, but there was nothing here. No infiltrator skilled enough to break me out and not enough mercenaries in the country to storm the prison.

My legs went weak and I fell with my back against the halls stone walls. I cried where no one could see.


	7. Chapter 7 An Empty Triumph

Owyn stood behind me at the portcullis. After finding out I was capable of controlling the dead, he seemed a little more wary of me. His jovial mood was replaced by caution, as if he now feared me.

"This last fight is against the arena champion. He's been undefeated for years now."

"Tell me all about him." I kept my responses curt. The brimstone was still burning inside of me and I was feeling none too friendly.

"He's a dark elf like you. Uses both magic and weaponry. He wears heavy armor."

"What kind of magic does he use?"

"All kinds. Conjuration, illusion, healing. He's even learned to use the alternation class to affect the fighting environment. He's caused sandstorms to gain an edge before. There's one other thing too. I don't think it's the same as..." He hesitated to say the word. "Necromancy, but he summons this ghost of one of his ancestors sometimes. I've never heard of anyone but him being able to do that."

"All dark elves can do that," I told him. He didn't press me for any more answers.

Without ado, I went to the portcullis, a couple potions on my belt. Since he wore heavy armor, I didn't bother with a bow. Instead, I strapped a shield to my arm and took a mace in hand, once again keeping a sword on my back as a backup.

The announcer introduced us both, losing none of his enthusiasm from my disturbing display earlier.

"Ladies and gentlemen! This is it, the final event. Han-lu has survived longer than I ever expected, facing beasts, thugs, and even mages. We've witnessed his resourceful and quick-thinking nature. Now we get to see how he fares against the best the arena can offer. The champion who has proven himself time and time again. Dunmer will face Dunmer in the ultimate showdown. I give you, Dun-il Ranabi!"

I breathed deep and stepped out onto the sand. The crowd was cheering. "Dun-il Dun-il Dun-il!"

Across the arena, stood the champion. His armor was heavy steel. He wore a shield like me, but he had a sword instead of a mace in hand. I could see just a little bit of his face through his helmet. His skin was dark grey like mine. He came from ashlander ancestry.

Instead of climbing through the rubble to meet him in the middle, I circled to the side. He copied my movements with a barely visible smirk. "I hoped you'd survive long enough for me to kill you," he called. "It must be my lucky day." I made no reply as we drew nearer. The drummers played a fast beat, making my heart rate increase.

"I've been watching the previous fights. Necromancy may scare some, but I know that it's actually easy. Takes less magic to reanimate a corpse than to summon a whole creature, doesn't it? Efficient if you don't mind being hated, but you really don't mind do you? Naw, you thrive under loathing."

This made me crack a smile. It was true. Never in my life had I required approval from any but my family. That was just a part of the job.

"Of course, there's a few more people who hate you now. I wonder how mother feels, knowing you got her husband killed."

"You talk too much." I didn't let this bother me. The letter had confirmed that my mom didn't blame me for what happened.

"Oh no I don't. This isn't just idle chat. Don't you get it? I'm a dark elf, born into guile and subterfuge like you."

I narrowed my eyes. Was he trying to distract me? I turned just in time to see a ghostly being stab at me with a spear. My shield barely caught the tip in time to spare me. I'd been played. Instead of letting the ghost distract me, I rolled backwards toward Dun-il, predicting that he would charge. I came to my feet and twisted in a huge arc, giving my mace all the momentum I could. Dun-il barely stopped in time to avoid the swing, his skittering steel plated boots kicking up sand.

I followed through on the momentum of my swing, stepping forward, twisting again and launching my boot into his chest while he was off balance. He took the full force of the blow and fell on his back leaving me facing his ghostly ancestor. The undead Dunmer was skilled with a spear. He stabbed quickly. I blocked twice, standing my ground before attempting to advance. He responded in kind, stepping backwards and flourishing his spear. He raised it in a circle above his head and swung the blunt end at the side of my head.

I ducked and the spear whizzed over my head, but it came round again before I could strike, this time at my side. I blocked it with the mace, but he reversed directions and drove the blade just over my shield. The tip stabbed into my shoulder armor, not penetrating to my skin, but driving me off balance.

I stumbled backward where Dun-il had just returned to his feet. He thrust his sword at my belly. The chain mail caught the blade, but the tip pricked my skin. I punched him in the shoulder with the edge of my shield, but took a stab to my thigh from behind. The left leg gave out, but I drove myself into a sideways roll with my right, getting me out from between them. As soon as I was clear, I forced some magic to the leg wound. It was deep, but I was able to scab it over and stop the bleeding. In a moment, the ghost was after me and Dun-il was close behind.

I threw myself over a piece of marble to regain some distance, but landed painfully, tearing the scab I'd just made. I limped backwards, healing again while I had the chance until the wound could hold itself together. My enemies flanked me slowly while I backed against the wall.

"You're doing wonderfully." Dun-il breathed heavily, but chuckled under his breath. "But I've got to wonder why you haven't summoned an ancestor. I mean, the way you and your father fought the city guard is the talk of the town. Surely it would be easier for you."

I kept backing away slowly, trying to decide my next move. I could summon an atronach or something to help me, but if I could stall a little longer, I might recover enough magic for a much more powerful helper. If I could drink a potion, I could do it, but they'd be on me in a second if I dropped my guard.

Dun-il cocked his head to the side as they continued to close on me, intrigued. "What? Didn't the thought even occur to you? That was my whole plan. Got to make it an interesting show."

I clenched my teeth and looked him in the face. He realized that I wasn't even considering it. He stopped in his tracks, a wide grin slowly spreading over his face. His ancestor stopped and gave him a confused look. "No. You don't want to face him. You're too ashamed to ask him for help. Oh you've got to be joking." He broke into laughter and hot butterflies took flight in my stomach. What kind of person could laugh at that. I wanted to charge him, but I couldn't face them both. I let him laugh and took the time. I felt my energy slowly rising. If only I could just delay a little longer.

"The best part is you don't even know the half of it. They say he sobbed on the block. His face was still wet while they paraded it in the street." He stared me in the eyes. I could see his through the helmet, dark red. "You know, tonight I'll stop at my favorite bar and I'll get more free drinks than anyone alive while I tell this story. They'll feed you to the animals and I'll be stumbling home with a girl on each arm."

As I felt my magic peak I sneered back at him. "I'll bet there's a part of the story you leave out."

"Oh really, what's that?"

"How you're still depending on your grandpa to look after you and how I can handle my own fights." Dun-il raised his eyebrow before I conjured a helper blocking my view. What stood before him was the strongest creature I could conjure and one of the most feared in Tamriel. The figure was black skinned, but you could only tell by its head. The rest of him was covered in crushingly heavy armor. A dremora. They were normally servants to otherworldly godlike beings. The daedric princes. With years of practicing conjuring lesser creatures, I'd eventually learned to command the elite fighters of Oblivion.

His face was covered in red war paint, the pointy designs matching the terrifying spiky armor he wore. He drew a four foot long two handed sword off his back with a rasp that chilled the bone. He obeyed without question, which was the biggest trick in summoning a dremora. They respected willpower and few mages had lived a hard enough life to develop true will. Without it, the dremora was just as likely to turn on you as it was to fight on your behalf.

With a strange inhuman yell, he swung the sword over his head to cleave Dun-il in two. The Dunmer raised his shield, but the sheer force of the blow threw him to the ground. I left the dremora to fend off the champion while I contended with the ghost. My first strike caught him off guard, his attention drawn to my summation. He barely stumbled out of the way of my mace and before he could use his spear, I had closed the distance between us.

I swung my mace up and across, giving him no chance to dodge or block. To my shock, the iron mace passed right through him. He shoved me backward and I berated myself. I'd forgotten that normal weapons don't affect spirits. I wished I had my broadsword I'd left with Bargrum. The silver lined blade would banish this ghost easily.

I blocked more jabs and parried as he used the spear like a staff. My options were limited. There was no magic to spare to conjure one of my ghostly weapons. Since I had a spirit inside me, I thought punching him could technically work, but I'd have to get past his spear.

The dremora yelled behind me and the answer suddenly seemed obvious. I whirled around and at my mental command so did the dremora. His daedric sword would work fine on the spirit. Meanwhile, I faced the champion again. Dun-il had a dent in his armors shoulder and a full tear across the stomach. He healed it in the moment that I traded places with my partner and was ready to face me.

The shield on his arm was nearly rent in two, so he flung it away and with a bruised left arm, took a two handed grip on his sword.

"Having trouble champion," I taunted. Now he was angry, the prideful disdain he'd had replaced with fury.

I dropped to a ready stance, crouched in front of my shield with my mace poking out past it a couple inches. Dun-il charged, sidestepping to try getting past my shield. I turned to face him, catching the blow and swiping with my mace. He dodged and spun, slicing at my helmet. I ducked and dodged two cuts, then three without even having to block. Even without his shield, he was weighed down by his armor to the point where I could dance circles around him.

I got a hit on his already bruised shoulder, knocking him aside, but he still had the advantage of magic, while mine was still close to empty. He came back at me with a frostbite spell. It was too fast to ward off even if I'd had the magic to block it. I drew away from the cold blast instinctively, my face feeling like a thousand ice needles were piercing it. I dropped the mace and ripped off my helmet, desperately hoping to stop the sensation.

Dun-il stabbed at my back while it was turned and this time he managed enough force to break through some of the mail. I stumbled away, turning back to face him. He'd stabbed between my spine and shoulder blade.

I gritted my teeth against the pain. My left arm wouldn't raise properly, but I took the sword off my back with my right. We traded blows and all I could do was give ground. Without my left arm, the shield hung heavily and painfully at my side. Warm blood soaked its way down my back. With two hands on his sword, he had an advantage. I managed to knock his sword to the side and flank to the right, putting a chunk of marble between us.

Desperate for healing, I tossed my sword ahead of me and ran. I struggled to unstopper a bottle with healing potion. I couldn't drink it while I ran. I reached where my sword had fell and turned. Dun-il was fast on my heels. I tried to kick sand up in his face, but he stabbed at my heart, unfazed. His sword caught in my mail and pushed me backwards. I dropped the potion in the sand and fell back. He pressed forward and I raised the shield with my right hand, groaning when it strained the severed muscle.

I caught the blow and stepped in close. My right hand dropped the shield and I hit him in the helmet flat with my palm. He stumbled over a block and fell into the sand.

I rushed for the potion and almost choked chugging it down. I threw the empty bottle against his helmet before grabbing my sword. Dun-il struggled to his feet and I took the moment to raise my left arm, allowing the tendons in my back to mend back together properly. We stared at each other, both huffing for breath. That had been too close. On the other side of the arena, the dremora yelled again. I glanced sideways to see him stab the ghost through the chest and lift him in the air on his sword. The wraith fizzled away like one of my conjured weapons.

I turned back to Dun-il. He raised his hands and a wind swirled around the arena, picking up sand as it went. I squinted, my eyes accustomed to such conditions thanks to my father. I suddenly felt as though I were in the ashlands of my ancestors in a tribal skirmish. The dremora was no doubt lost in the storm. Dun-il must have expected to blind me like his other opponents, but when he charged through the storm, I saw him coming. I knocked his sword aside easily with my shield and stabbed through the open front of his helmet.

He fell down making gurgling sounds. The storm ceased and the crowd waited with bated breath to see the outcome.

The champion crawled backwards, his face bleeding. I'd inflicted a lot of wounds, but seeing the mouth sliced in that unnatural way stole my nerve and made me sick to the stomach. As soon as the air cleared, I sliced his throat and put an end to the suffering. I let the dremora return to Oblivion in a flash of purple light. I looked to the crowd. No one cheered, but they anxiously talked amongst themselves. What was to become of me? A quiet return to prison seemed so anticlimactic.

I looked to Fargoth who was sitting still, trying to hide the tears in his eyes from the people around him. In his face, I saw agony at his inability to help me. We were not used to feeling helpless.

I turned to the Emperor who wore a strange look. He seemed unsurprised. Could he have known beforehand that I'd win?

I should do something, I thought. I should say something. No words came. I couldn't fight my way out. If I tried to climb the walls, the guards would shoot me down.

The Emperor gestured to the bloodworks, making it clear that he'd offer no pardon and make no speech on my behalf. Even the announcer seemed afraid to say anything.

Slowly, I turned back to the underground, dropping my sword and shield in the sand. A pit formed in my stomach. I was going back to a cell where I'd likely spend the rest of my life.


	8. Chapter 8 Vvardenfell

I stared at the wall. Ninety four tally marks carved with a spoon into the hard stone. Ninety four days. I'd been stuck in a cell for over three months now with only my memories of being the best. Rolling in dirty money, traveling the countryside in clean sturdy clothes with a full belly and a horse under me, sparring with Fargoth, Bargrum, and my dad. Memories of ambushing those proud humans who refused to meet our demands. The memory of of my last kills in the arena. It was all for naught.

I had no one to spar, the magic was being drained from me by the bracer on my wrist, and the food was not enough to maintain my physique. All I could do here was die slowly.

The last few days, I'd begun to think that maybe I should have given up in the arena, but I couldn't have done that if only for Fargoths sake. The only reason I'd held out this long was out of hope that mother would find a way to get me out. Now, I didn't believe it would happen. I'd taken the largest gamble available to me and I was paying for it with everything I had.

I would say that I was thinking about giving up, but in truth, I already had. It was just a matter of how to end my life. I might be able to strangle myself with my shirt, but I didn't care for that option. I'd probably change my mind before I could manage it.

The smell of sweet smoke caught my attention. Outside my cell, my jailor sat with his pipe. A few weeks ago he'd asked if I minded him smoking in here since the rest of the cell block was still empty, keeping me confined. He asked this because rather than tobacco, he preferred a much stronger substance called skooma which was highly illegal. I needed the company, so I kept his secret, or I would if anyone else ever came in here. Mostly, we sat quietly. He didn't think much when he was on the drug and I didn't want to speak, but it helped just to have another person there.

Now, he could help me in another way too. Coming to a decision, I tried to engage in small talk. "Is the prison really so empty that they can give me my own cell block, or are they stuffing them tight on the other floors?"

With glazed eyes, the old human replied in a lazy accent, "It's fairly empty in here. The prison is huge, but with the economy the way it is, most folks make out fine doing honest work. No offense to you."

I huffed out my nose, almost a chuckle and was silent again. The man was in his fifties. No family, few friends, and frankly he was ugly to boot. Perfectly suited to tend to prisoners.

"Can I ask you something," he asked? "This has been bothering me."

"Shoot."

"I heard you blackmailed people for a living. Why kill the Emperor? What was in it for you?"

I leaned my head back against the wall. "We had some nasty dirt on the Emperor, but he found out that someone knew and had Blades agents go to work for the newspapers undercover and censor the news instead of paying our ransom. Without a way to publicize his secret, we couldn't extort him. So, the next best thing was to make an example of him, then the next target would know what we were capable of and we'd be on easy street." The jailer humphed in understanding. It took a lot to actually impress him while he was in this state.

After a long pause I spoke again. "In the past few weeks, I've been catching whiffs of that stuff you're smoking. I'm getting curious what it's like." The man looked at the pipe and shrugged.

"I don't see how it could make your situation any worse." He stood and held the pipe out through the bars. At his waist, he had a vial of the skooma. Normally, you'd pour a drop of the sappy liquid into the glass pipe and heat it up. It would smoke and you'd breath that in. I'd heard rumors that some people had died just from using that much, but those could have been wives tales. I would make no more mistakes. I took the glass pipe and held it out for him to fill it.

He took the vial from under his coat and started to pour, but I snatched the bottle away.

He slowly realized I had stolen his drug and begged, "No wait. What are you doing?"

I smiled at him with a hint of melancholy on my face. "It's called suicide. Now here's what you're going to do. Once I drink this, I'll give you the vial and the pipe back. You'll leave and you won't tell anyone what's happened. You'll find me dead tomorrow morning and report it to the guards. They won't find out about your habit."

I threw my head back and poured the sickly sweet tasting sap in my mouth. This much should be enough to kill any man. The jailer clasped his hands to his lips in shock. I swallowed the mouthful of expensive sap and held the implements out to the man. "Thank you for keeping me company."

He took the items from me and bustled out of the cell block as quickly as he could. I sat down in my cell, glad that I'd helped him avoid trouble for my death. My attention was drawn to a candle he'd left outside my cell. He'd been using it to burn the skooma. After a couple minutes, the candle seemed to burn faster and faster. In no time at all, it was burned out, the wax all spilled on the floor. Then, slowly, the whole world went dark and I never even felt myself fall to the floor.

I was completely numb. There was a distant light brightening the world around me, but it was so blurry, I couldn't tell whether it was the sun or a torch. My body lay for ages it seemed. The stone prison melted away, destroyed by time until it was sand on the wind.

After years and years, I regained my vision only to find sand flying about me. I struggled to my feet and stumbled through the storm, pushing onward grudgingly. Was I to serve an eternity here? Was this where death has brought me? But I still wore the prison bracers. Could I still be alive?

I wandered the sands for ages. Alone, confused. I dared not cry to the divines nor the daedra for fear of getting the sand in my mouth.

Eventually, I gave up again. There was no end to this storm. I fell on my back and gazed heavenward to find a shaft of clean air directly above me, allowing a view of the sky. The full moon shone down on me through the tunnel and I heard a voice. I could tell it belonged to neither man nor elf. This voice was ancient and all encompassing as if the grains of sand spoke for the omnipotent being.

"They have taken you from the Imperial cities prison, first by carriage and now by boat."

"But I was supposed to die," I rasped. "How did I survive?"

"Fear not. I am watchful. You have been chosen."

Lightning arced across the sky, shaking the world. Clouds gathered and rain fought with the flying sand. I watched as the water slowly forced the sand to the ground. It washed me clean. It washed away the sand under me and I was laying on a cot. The walls of sand peeled away around me to reveal the hull of a ship. The water falling on my forehead was dripping from a rag. An older dark elf was standing over me. He had a scar across one of his eyes. The eye itself had been sewn shut after he'd received the wound, but it had grown together and healed a long time ago.

My body felt atrophied. I twitched my bony fingers and was surprised to find they'd shrunk as if I were starving. The dark elf noticed my movement and deliberately looked me over. "Are you finally awake?"

"Where am I?"

He answered calmly, putting the rag away. "We're on a ship. We'll arrive in Vvardenfell soon."

Vvardenfell, the land of my ancestors. That couldn't be a coincidence. What was the Emperor up to? "How long have I been out?"

"Well, we've been at sea for two days. I don't know about before then."

"What's today's date?"

He shrugged. "I lost count. Somewhere near the middle of last seed."

I struggled to sit up and counted on my fingers. The Emperor's birthday had been the 30th of Frostfall. I'd been in prison for the months of sun's dusk, evening star, and I drank the skooma in morning star. That left suns dawn, first seed, rains hand, second seed, mid year, and suns height. I was missing half a year. That is, if I'm being told the truth, I thought.

"Who are you," I asked?

The other dark elf sat against the hull of the ship. He wore no shirt, just a pair of dark pants and worn shoes. I noticed a single brass earring in his pointed left ear. "My name is Jiub. I used to be a mercenary, but I tangled with the wrong nobleman in Cyrodiil. I've been in prison for years when suddenly I'm carted off to this ship and told to care for you during the crossing. I didn't argue. I'll trade my cell for this ship any day. What about you?"

After a moment of thought, I replied, "My story is a lot like yours, just less jail time."

"What happened to you? They never said what caused your coma."

"Uh, skooma overdose." He nodded and looked toward the door of our little room. We had two cots and little else. What really caught my attention was that there was no door. No bars to hold us in. I stared in disbelief, peeled my blanket off and realized that there was no bracer on my arm. Hardly daring to believe it, I twisted and fell out of my cot. Jiub looked at me oddly.

"What did you do that for?"

"I have to get on deck. I have to see."

Jiub shook his head. "See what? We're at sea."

My legs barely supported me and with the tipping and rolling of the ship, I couldn't stand at all. Unswayed, I crawled down the hallway. Jiub didn't seem to care. He let me leave. I struggled all the way across the hall to some stairs and up into a second level below deck. This was a trade ship, but there was very little in the way of cargo. More hammocks hung on this level along with some supplies. A handful of imperial legionnaires turned to look at me as I crawled up the steps.

The men laughed at the sad sight and one of them stood to help me. "What are you doing?"

"I want to get on deck."

He rolled his eyes, but put my arm around his shoulder and hauled me to my feet. His decorative armor felt good against my feverish body. I soaked up the cold from the metal in a lecherous way, while we climbed another set of stairs. Another soldier went ahead of us to open the hatch. We broke out into the air and I soaked in the sensations. Salt in the air, the sun on my face. After my prison stay and however long I'd been asleep, even the gusting wind was ecstasy.

The kind soldier propped me up against the rail of the ship and after I assured him I wouldn't fall, he stepped back. My weak arms supported me enough to see the coast in the distance. Curious gulls hovered over our sails. I couldn't make out any details of the land.

"Is that Vvardenfell," I asked?

The soldier nodded with a grunt. "I don't know what makes you and that other elf so special, but our orders to bring you here come from the Emperor himself."

I turned around so he could see my face. "You mean you don't know who I am?"

He took a moment and thoughtfully studied me. "No, should I?"

Realizing the amount of time that had passed, I shook my head. "Probably better that you don't. Why don't I have a prison bracer on?"

The soldier removed a glove so he could curl his heavily waxed mustache. "Our orders are to release you." He shrugged. "Why would you be a danger to us?"

"Well in that case, why Morrowind? What's waiting for us on the island?"

"Beats me elf. It must be important. The island's been quarantined for long over a year due to the blight. The Empires afraid of even providing mail services."

I remembered my father telling me about the blight. Growing up in the ashlands, they'd sometimes encounter wild animals with a hideous deforming disease. They were slain on sight and the arrows used to kill them were abandoned. Afterward, the corpses were avoided like the plague they were. Some people even burned them. Mother said that on the coast, they rarely saw any blighted creatures, but that there were lots of stories from travelers. I guess the disease had become more prevalent.

"So here's how this will work," the soldier explained. "We'll arrive in Seyda neen in a couple hours. We'll lower a plank to the dock and the local guards will retrieve it once you've crossed over so we don't risk contaminating the ship. If that happens, none of us get to return home. We'd have to start new lives reassigned here in Vvardenfell. Once you cross the plank, for Talos' sake, don't come back." I nodded my understanding. "Good, now let's get you something to eat. You look like a skeleton."


	9. Chapter 9 Census and Excise

_Author's note. Okay my friends. This is chapter nine. If you are this far, you are obviously somewhat interested in it. Any feedback would be appreciated. Leave a brief comment or ask me a question. I'll answer anything from what my motivations are to what is my favorite Elder scrolls race is to where babies come from. Shout out to Ja'keem for being the first to follow my story. Hope you enjoy._

 _Arbiterssword._

Seyda neen was nothing short of a swamp. As we glided slowly along the coast, I saw that most of the town was made of small wooden shacks among the bogs. A handful of small fishing boats were scattered on the water. We anchored at the only small dock in town which stood in front of the largest building in town.

Without a fuss, the soldiers laid down a plank for me to cross to the dock. I'd regained enough strength to stand on my own feet, but I was tiring quickly. More Imperial soldiers met me on the dock and withdrew the plank. One of them held out a large canvas mail bag which the sailors retrieved with a hooked pole. Before letting it touch the deck, a soldier cast some sort of magic on the bag, probably to cleanse it.

I watched as if I were just a spectator until a legionnaire ordered me to come with him. Slowly, as if in a trance, I followed him down the dock. I hugged my arms to my chest. Despite the warm humidity, I felt cold. Who knows what skooma and that coma could do to an elf?

The soldier led me to the building. It was two stories high and made of stone. A stark contrast to the fisherman's hovels surrounding it. I was sent inside to a comfortable office. A single soldier casually stood guard while an old clerk rattled off numbers to a scribe at a heavy wooden desk. The gray haired clerk paused as I entered.

"Are you Han-lu?" I nodded reluctantly. If I could hide my identity from Imperial subjects for the time being, I would prefer it, but he didn't seem afraid or angry. He didn't realize what I had done. To him, Han-lu was just a name. "Right," the old Breton mused as he enthusiastically dove into one of his drawers and pulled out a letter. "I'm sure you have questions. After all, this is quite a unique situation, but I know little about your case. This should uh, bring you up to speed as they say." He chuckled at his attempt at wit and continued dictating to the scribe at the table.

Instead of reading the letter, I let my eyes linger on the envelope. This was all very wrong. I'd never been civil with people like this unless there was something in it for me. I looked down at my hands. Goosebumps crawled along my arms and I wanted to climb out a window. I could feel the guards eyes boring into me from behind. The clerk noticed my inaction and addressed me. "Don't mind me. Just have a seat and read."

I looked him in the eye, assuring myself that there was no malice before doing as he said. The dry envelope was stamped shut with a wax seal. The symbol was a dragon with wings spread to make a diamond shape. The seal of the Emperor. I broke the seal and took the single piece of paper out.

"My dearest assasin," it read. "For all intents and purposes, Han-lu Urshar is dead to the world. I had a mock execution with other prisoners taking the place of you and your mother on the chopping block. This is a greater gift to you two than any pardon, for you can now live among my subjects again without repercussions for the attempt on my life. As long as your mother doesn't attempt any more crimes, she will be granted this courtesy as well. I would suggest changing your name, but in all reality, the chances of somebody recognizing you or connecting your name with your crime are nearly nonexistent.

I have my reasons for taking this extreme action and eventually, they will become clear to you. All I ask is that you obey the orders I've sent ahead of you. If you do not, you will become a wanted man and mark my words, I will have you executed.

Don't waste any time trying to return to Cyrodiil. My navy patrols the seas between Vvardenfell and the mainland of Morrowind.

Yours truly, Emperor Uriel Septim VII.

My weakened body shook slightly as I set the letter down. Not with exhaustion, but with rage. This man has the audacity to think I'd do as he says. I wanted to show him what's what. He ought to know who he's dealing with by now.

With my hand under the desk, I reached for my magic and cast the spell to summon my sword. Nothing happened. In horror, I realized that just as my body had atrophied, so had my magic. The rage disappeared, leaving me feeling deflated. It was a few moments before the clerk caught my attention by placing a hand on my shoulder.

"Are you alright?" He asked it awkwardly, almost like he was afraid I'd bite.

Looking miserably up at him, I answered, "What are my orders?" The dejection really sunk in. I thought I'd been low in the prison when I drank that vial of skooma, but at least that had been my choice. Now, because of my weakened state, my only options were execution or obedience.

The clerk kept his worried expression, but withdrew a pace. "Well, you just need to be recorded before you're officially released."

"Of course," I replied, muttering, "Empire loves its lists," under my breath.

"Right, we already know your name. When were you born?"

"The 20th of Hearthfire 408 third era."

"Which would make you nineteen," he once again dictated while the young scribe boy filled out the form. "Do you have a former profession? Simply for our records of course."

"Debt collector." It was close enough to the truth.

"Your place of birth?"

"The city of Anvil in Cyrodiil." Mom had made dad move there when she became pregnant because it was on the coast, like her home growing up.

"Your parents names?"

It took me a minute to swallow past the lump in my throat before answering. Taking a hint, the clerk didn't press my family history any further.

"Okay, that's everything I need for my records." The scribe stamped the papers and handed them to me. "Give those to the Captain for your release fee and may the nine guide you."

Eager to have me leave, the guard escorted me through a courtyard and into the next building. I was dumped into a chair in another office, this time across the desk from a high ranking soldier. As soon as I was put in front of him, he scooted his paperwork aside. He was clean shaven, with neat brown hair, and a strong face to match a strong physique. His armor seemed to fit him perfectly. If I were measuring him up, I might assume he hadn't had a desk job for long because of the shape he was in. As it was however, I didn't care very much.

He looked at me expectantly until I remembered my papers. After handing them over, he scanned them and filed them away. He then clasped his hands and leaned forward, resting his weight on his arms. "I am Captain Sellus Gravius, Knight Errant of the Imperial legion. I received a surprising letter yesterday from the Emperor himself, warning me of your arrival. According to my orders, I am to give you these." He retrieved a leather satchel from under his desk and slid it across to me.

"There is a dispersal of 87 septims to be given you on release and a package to deliver. Your orders are to find one Caius Cosades in the town of Balmora and deliver the package. You will report to him for further orders."

Reluctantly, I met his gaze. "Is there anything else?"

Sellus pursed his lips. "I should tell you that I've never heard of this man. He's not a part of the Legion and he's no diplomat. There was no address provided. My letter just said that you could ask at the South Wall cornerclub to find him."

I nodded. "Am I free to go?"

"Free as a bird."

I stayed still for a moment and stared him down until he squirmed uncomfortably. "What?"

"Nothing." I swiped the bag off the desk, slung it around my shoulder, and staggered weakly out the door. I did this too quickly and I became dizzy, weakly falling on my rear. There were Imperial guards in the town, but none of them paid any attention to me.

I didn't get up right away. I was still trying to wrap my head around this turn of events. "Okay, what do I need to do," I queried? Glancing at the satchel, I decided to have a look at the documents. The letter was sealed with the wax signet of the Emperor and it was certainly not meant for my eyes. Had the guards known who I was, they probably would have given more specific instructions on handling the package. I tore the seal open and looked over the papers to find everything encoded. I couldn't read any of it.

There was no way I was going to Caius Cosades. Best to steer clear of the Empire altogether if I could. What I needed to do was get back to Cyrodiil and find mom, but the Emperor had tried to dissuade me of that option. So now my problem was, how do I get through the blockade?

I came up with two options. One, I could find a smuggler and buy my way onto his boat. Two, I could steal a ship and put together a crew of my own and fight any Imperial ships that got in my way. Either way I'd need money, so that would be my priority for now.

My thoughts were interrupted by a hand being offered to me. "You fall over friend?" The hand was being offered by a short, curly haired wood elf.

"Yeah," I took his hand and he pulled me to my feet. "Thanks."

"You new here in Seyda neen?"

"Actually I'm new in Morrowind altogether."

"You do look it," he mentioned, scanning my dirty prison clothes. "I'll tell you what. There's a river that flows through the north end of town. If you walk upstream a ways, there's a spot sheltered by bushes where you can get cleaned up."

I laughed at myself. "Thanks, I guess I could use it. Is there somewhere in town I could replace these old rags?"

The elf smiled. "Yes, there's a trader named Arrille." He pointed to a narrow three story building. "He's a High elf so be extra polite and he might help you out. Also, tell him Fargoth sent you."

I cocked my head at him. "Your name is Fargoth?"

"Yes I know. Such a common name for a Wood elf. It seems everyone I meet knows a Fargoth already."

"Well thank you Fargoth."


	10. Chapter 10 Conning a Con Man

I opened the warped wooden door to Arrille's trade house, having already bathed in the river. My long hair hung annoyingly around my face, but at least it was clean. I didn't expect much out of this dilapidated old building and was wary of the second floor crashing down on me, but inside, the place was fairly neat.

A tall yellowish skinned Altmer or high elf lounged behind a counter, surrounded with goods on display. He noticed me and smiled, although it seemed partially forced. "Hello, welcome to Arrille's trade house. I buy and sell most things, but if it's a meal or a bed you're looking for, the inn is upstairs."

"Hello sir. I'm Han-lu. I apologize for my appearance. Perhaps you could sell me some nicer clothes."

"Of course of course." He stood up and went to his shelves. "My selection is fairly limited as far as clothing, but we can take a look." I tossed my head back to get my hair out of my eyes.

"I'm looking for something sturdy, but not too fancy."

"This looks your size." He picked out a few shirts, pants, and a few pieces of footwear. I ended up with a black sleeveless shirt which was practical for the warm climate, matching pants, and I splurged on a pair of dark leather shin boots. I put them in a pile on the counter.

"I'd also like to see your weapons."

Arrille raised an eyebrow. "Are you looking for a knife or a dagger?"

Remembering how my magic had become so limited, I sighed. "A knife and a sword if I can afford it."

Arrille clucked his tongue as he pulled a small variety of knives out of a drawer. They were mostly steel and polished often to keep the damp air from rusting them away. After haggling on price, I settled on a curved knife with a bone handle and was left with little gold to spare, far from enough to buy a sword. I counted out the coins and headed upstairs, hoping I'd have enough for a proper meal. It was well past noon and I was hungry. The sailors had given me a breakfast of porridge, but after being unconscious so long, I needed to bulk up.

There were a few people scattered around the cramped room. The bar was stuffed into a corner with three tables in the rest of the taproom. There were also two rooms for rent. I sat at the bar, ignoring the other customers. The barkeep was a Redguard woman and she asked what I wanted.

I scraped the rest of the gold from my bag, removing the letter to Caius to make sure I got it all. Five septims. "A hot meal please. Just water to drink." She took the money and went to get me a plate. Meanwhile, I picked up the envelope. It was sealed with the Emperor's crest. Shrugging, I broke the seal and looked at the contents. The letters were from the Cyrodiilic alphabet, but the message was coded and I couldn't read it.

I sighed and stuffed it back into the envelope. There was a candle next to me on the bar and I toyed with the idea of just burning the useless paper, but something kept me from doing it. My reverie was disturbed by a heavy-set Nord in smelly fur clothing. He took the seat next to me and said, "You look like you've seen better times."

That was an understatement. Back in Cyrodiil, I was swimming in gold. I did live a tough life, but I never wanted for anything. "Haven't we all," I replied nonchalantly, staring ahead.

The Nord huffed heartily. "Aye, that's true." After examining me for a moment he seemed to come to a decision. "If you're interested, I might have a way for you to make a little gold."

I turned to face him. "I'm interested."

The Nord leaned in and lowered his voice. "I've had some nasty luck at nine holes lately. It seems I'm not the only one either. There's this Wood elf named Fargoth who's been cleaning up every night for the last week."

This started to sound right up my alley. "You want to steal it?"

He nodded. "The thing is, he doesn't keep it at home. I already checked and I think he suspects me. If he thinks I'm watching, he'll never go to his hiding spot." He paused as the bartender put a plate in front of me. "Hey, Elone," yapped. "I'll take the same."

"Sure thing Hrisskar." As soon as her back was turned, Hrisskar lowered his voice again.

"So here's my plan. I organize a game of nine holes tonight and get wasted drunk so Fargoth feels comfortable taking his winnings to his hiding place. You go wait on the lighthouse. You can see everything from up there. Wait for him to drop his winnings and leave. Then we'll split what you find."

I tucked the envelope back into my painfully empty satchel. "I'm in."

A few hours later, I was sitting on a bench at the top of a building that was far more rickety that the trade house. I'd spent the day napping under the swamp trees and occasionally swatting at the mosquitoes. Even without money for a dinner, I was feeling much better. I'd grown accustomed to hunger, but the fresh air and warm sun had done me good. Even in the evening chill, I stayed close to the brazier at the top of the lighthouse and reveled in the warmth. I kept my back to the flame and watched the trade house. Usually, I might have had trouble staying awake, but I was already well rested.

Eventually, I saw the small form of the Wood elf exit the trade house and lean against the wall. He carried a satchel not unlike my own. I waited and watched him fill a pipe with tobacco and smoke.

"Come on, come on," I murmured. "Show me your money."

He was in no hurry and I stayed still for the better part of an hour. Fargoth kept glancing to the north, as if waiting for something. Eventually, a steady thudding sound became noticeable in the distance. I watched with growing anticipation as it got louder and louder. The shape of an enormous creature became visible in the light of the moon. It stood on eight legs like lodgepole pine trunks. Its body was covered in a thick shell, but as it got closer, I could see that the top had been hollowed out and there were people sitting cross legged inside.

It stopped outside town standing in the river next to a small cliff. Straining my eyes, I saw that there was a wooden platform built for the passengers to board and disembark. This added a new layer to the plan at hand.

A cold hand clutched my heart when I realized that Fargoth had disappeared. That had been his plan all along. Wait for the creature to distract any onlookers and slip away. I crouched by the weak wooden railing and scanned the area surrounding Seyda neen and I caught a movement by a bog at the base of the lighthouse.

Fargoth was sneaking around to the peninsula the lighthouse was on. I slowly made my way around the roof and watched him wade into a shallow bog to a tree stump. He took handfuls of gold from his bag and possibly other items and stored them in a hollowed-out section of the stump. I sat back and waited for him to cautiously return to his home before braving the smelly bog myself.

With my boots off, I found the log to hold nearly three hundred septims and a thin curved metal implement that I recognized as a lock pick. I put all the gold in my satchel and put the lock pick in my sock. Instead of returning to Hrisskar, I shot a casual salute at the trade house in farewell before making a beeline for the giant insect. A young dunmer man was already helping a handful of people cross a wooden plank to the creatures back.

I waited my turn and asked, "Where are you headed?"

"Balmora," he replied.

I paid the 15 septim fare and sat with the others. Before the driver took his seat, I took one last look at the build where Hrisskar was drinking. With a moan that shook the air, the creature, a silt strider as the driver had called it, lurched forward.

I shook my head. "There's a sucker born every minute and I just ripped off two of them."


	11. Chapter 11 The Mages Guild

I was feeling rather personable on the way to Balmora. The weight of the coins in my bag had me in a particularly good mood. I wasn't poor anymore and I was that much closer to my goal. Eventually, I'd have to make contacts to find the sort of people I'd want to hire, but smuggling wasn't cheap, so I had time.

The other people on the silt strider were all dark elves except one. A young Khajiit in a dark blue robe. I watched her curled up in a corner, trying to read a book and not draw attention. She was a nervous cat and she kept glancing up from her book at the Dunmer around her. It made me chuckle and I stood, making pardons as I sat next to her. She pulled her book closer to her face I couldn't help but grin.

"Do the local Dunmer give you trouble?" Her ears perked up in interest and she peeked over her book at me. "For being a Khajiit I mean?"

She nodded slowly, eyes still suspicious. When she spoke, her voice was quiet and heavily accented. "Many seem to think Khajiit are only good as slaves and nothing else." I scanned the group around us and saw a few heads turn.

"Perhaps even some here with us," I added.

"Ajira tries not to provoke them."

"Is that your name? Ajira?" She nodded again. "What do you do Ajira?"

She closed her book and laid it on her lap. "This one is an alchemist and a researcher in the mages guild."

"Huh, I didn't know the guilds were in Morrowind." The groups I referred to were the fighters and mages guilds. They are branches of the Empire, one to regulate mercenary work and one to promote scholarly pursuits and regulate magical services throughout the Empire. I'm sure you can guess which is which.

"It is a sore subject to many local Dunmer. Although Morrowind has been a part of the Empire for centuries, it has always been largely self run. Only recently have the guilds been set up in this country and even more so here on Vvardenfell."She lowered her voice even further. "The locals feel as though the Emperor is stepping on their toes." I nodded thoughtfully. "You are not a local, are you," she questioned.

"No, Cyrodiil is my home. I need to earn enough money to get back."

Ajira hissed quietly to herself. "Impossible. With the island under quarantine, there are no ships traveling to the mainland."

"That's just what they want you to believe. In all reality, anyone can still go home, it just costs more and the boats are harder to find. Besides, I'm not scared of the blight."

Ajira growled. "The blight. That's just what they want you to believe."

I looked at her, troubled while she grinned at how she'd turned the tables on our conversation. "Well please, enlighten me."

She took a moment to make sure nobody else was listening in on our conversation and leaned in until her whiskers brushed my cheek. "The real issue is corprus disease. The two are loosely related, but the latter is a thousand times as severe. Don't go talking about it openly though, unless you want to face the zealots of the Temple."

"I don't understand. What's the temple?"

Finally one of the other riders chimed in. She was a well dressed Dunmer woman in her mid years. "A dark elf who doesn't know of the temple. That's absurd."

"Perhaps you'd like to enlighten me sera," I invited.

She twisted on her cushion to face us. "The temple of the tribunal rules and keeps order in the land."

I narrowed my gaze. "What about king Helseth? Are you saying he doesn't rule his own kingdom?"

The woman gasped in exasperation. "The king is a mere puppet of the Empire. He struggles for more power, but he cannot compare with three living gods."

Now I was very confused. "Azura, Boethiah, and Mephala aren't living Gods, they're daedra." The woman's eyes went wide and she turned her back to me, muttering "N'wah" under her breath. I didn't know what that meant, but when I looked back at Ajira, she looked cautious again. Apparently I'd said something very wrong.

She leaned against my ear once more. "You should come with me to the mages guild when the silt strider lands. It sounds like there are some things you ought to know."

I took the hint and remained silent for the rest of the journey. We finally came into view of a city wall when the sun was rising. Ajira had nodded off and I was beginning to fear she'd drool on my shoulder. The other woman however, sat straight backed the entire journey, refusing to acknowledge my presence.

I disturbed the cats slumber by standing, so I could get a proper view of Balmora. She woke with an unceremonious snort, but maybe it was for the best. She didn't seem to realize she'd been leaning on my shoulder.

I held onto the side of the shell to keep my balance. Despite the size of the creature, it rode fairly smooth with very little sway. I saw the city walls, which weren't very high, but were serviceable. They stretched across a small valley with steep, short mountains on either side and a river running through the middle. A scattering of guards stood on the wall with bows, ready to defend against wild animals and scare off bandits. They wore a strange dark yellow armor that seemed to be made from a type of composite material.

The silt strider came to a stop next to the south wall where another platform had been built into the structure. The driver jumped expertly from the creature's head to the platform and helped everyone down. I allowed everyone to go before me, including Ajira so that I could take in the city. From my high vantage, I could see that the city was enormous and was clearly separated into three areas. The buildings were all made the same. Probably framed with wood and stone and then covered with an adobe-like material.

I was distracted by three dark elves at the bottom of the stairs who were teasing Ajira. She stood on the stairs waiting for me and glanced between me and the thugs below.

I strode past her and faced the elves. They were all wearing cheap leather armor and carried daggers on their sides, possibly just grunts for a local gang of some sort. "Gentlemen gentlemen," I addressed them calmingly. "There's no problem here, we just want to pass by."

The oldest one in his late twenties led the others in laughter. "You don't understand. These outlanders have to pay a tax for the privilege of entering our lovely city."

"But Ajira lives here," she hissed.

Before they could come up with another taunt, I took the reins on the conversation. "Yeah, if you ought to extort anyone, it ought to be me. I may not look it, but I'm as foreign as they come."

The thugs all glanced at each other unsure of where I was going with this. "Alright, then you give us your money if that's the way you feel."

"No." I quickly stepped forward and thrust my palm up at his nose and felt a crack. As soon as he was hurt, I turned and hit his friend and got tackled to the ground from behind. I threw elbow jabs at the elf on top of me and drove him back, but then they all started kicking me on the ground. I was able to get a good knee punch in on one of them, but I had no chance. Ajira was screaming for help and within a minute, two guards dropped from the walls to pull the thugs off me.

One of the guardsmen turned on them. "I've had it with you council club punks starting trouble!"

The leader pointed at me with blood pouring down his nose and started to make an accusation, but the guard cut him off. "I don't want to hear it!" He turned to where Ajira was pulling me up off the ground. "You two should leave."

"Yes sir," Ajira said in agreement. I hugged my side and she supported me, leading the way through the streets. My lip was bleeding, but they hadn't broken my nose. I grinned as widely as I comfortably could. "That was stupid. Do you challenge the local riff raff whenever you go some place new?"

"I used to. How else do you know if they have any talent?" The Khajiit eyed me as if I were mad. She led me to the local mages guild hall. The building was three stories tall and very spacious. Inside, it was dark without any windows. I asked Ajira about it and she said that sometimes there were storms of ash from the ashlands and any opening would let it in. A few curious people glanced our way as she led me to the basement level. At the bottom of the stairs, there was a large room. Sections were cordoned off with drapes or panels. One spot had seats and a small podium for lectures. Another had a table and chairs. There was even a section with bunk beds stacked three high. Book shelves were everywhere, stacked heavy.

Ajira led me to another small room with a desk loaded with dry ingredients, strange metal and glass tubes, and vials everywhere. She sat me in a chair and immediately went tending to my lip.

"You should have seen me a couple months ago. I could have taken them all myself."

"Stop talking." She wetted a rag with a solution in one of her vials and dabbed at the split lip, immediately soothing my pain. A Dunmer woman in a blue robe stepped into the room and asked, "Ajira, who is this?"

"A crazy foreigner who protected Ajira from the council club brutes." She spoke without breaking her concentration.

Still hugging my bruised side, I offered my hand to the woman. "I'm Han-lu Urshar of Cyrodiil."

She shook my hand daintily. "Ranis Athrys, guildmaster. I appreciate you looking after my student, but it is unwise to get on the bad side of the council club. Local Dunmer don't usually like outlanders, no matter their race."

I waited for Ajira to finish tending my lip. It was already scabbing over thanks to her concoction. "Thank you."

"We're not done. Let's see the damage to your ribs."

"I'm sure I can take care of it." I gingerly lifted my shirt and called my magic. Dark bruises were already forming and as I guided my body's healing process, they began to shrink, but I ran out of magic before they disappeared completely. I stared uncomprehending for a moment.

Ranis hmmd thoughtfully. "You're a healer? Impressive." I disagreed. This was pitiful. I used to be able to mend a broken femur before running dry. If healing a couple bruises was beyond my reach, I'd atrophied much more than I'd thought. I couldn't wrap my head around it and slipped into shock. My heart hurt with every beat and adrenaline flooded me. I wanted to hit something. Maybe run back to those thugs for another round, anything to take out my anger.

Ajira snapped me out of it by bumping my temple with a bottle. "Hello. Han-lu, did they kick you in the head or something?" She grinned playfully, unaware of the tempest inside me. "Drink this, it will help you heal faster."

I steadied my hand and accepted the gift.

"So Han-lu," Ranis inquired, "What brings you all the way to Balmora?"

I shrugged, thinking through my fog of anger. "Work I guess."

Ajira huffed. "This one thinks to buy his way back to Cyrodiil despite the quarantine."

I cringed at Ajira giving away my secret. I'd have to be tighter lipped in the future. Ranis raised her eyebrows. "Really? Tell me then, considering that you're planning on less than legal activities and that you don't hesitate to challenge a gang of thugs, what kind of work are you looking for?"

I smiled despite myself. "You sound like you're looking to hire that kind of person." I may not have gotten along well with other dark elves, but the more I met, the more I realized how comfortable we really are with subterfuge.

"Well, I might have a few jobs that are too... um, dangerous for my students." She looked meaningfully at Ajira who stood to leave.

"Don't look at Ajira," the cat insisted. "This one just mixes potions." Ranis watched her leave with a grin and leaned on the door jam.

"You obviously have some skill in magic. If you joined with us, we could help you train."

"I can train on my own. I'm looking for work, not schooling."

She stared at the ceiling thoughtfully. "You could join as an associate to the guild. It's not the same as a full fledged member. Under the regulations the Empire puts on us, I can't hire anyone outside the guild. Most of my able bodied students have left for other opportunities in the past few months and I've been forced to hire the fighters guild to conduct business. Those idiots just love lording that over me. We're rivals, you see."

This was why the Empire was able to conquer Morrowind, I thought. While we Dunmer squabble among ourselves, the Empire and its branches stuck together under a strong leader.

"What would be my responsibilities in the guild." I asked?

"As an associate, you just perform the duties I assign you for pay. It won't be regular work, just odd jobs. If you were ever caught committing a crime against another guild member, it would mean expulsion." I noticed the emphasis she put on the word caught.

"Could I board here?"

"Not as an associate, no. Only higher ranking members are allowed to live here."

I mulled it over and didn't see a downside. "Very well."

Ranis smirked. "Good. I hereby name you an associate of the mages guild. I don't have any work for you right now, but feel free to meet the other guild members."

"Quick question," I added. "Does this exclude me from working for the fighters guild?"

Ranis laughed. "You can ask them, but I wouldn't mention that you're associated with us. They have an elitist attitude. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a lecture to give." She stood and went to the podium area in the other room where a handful of mages were gathered already, leaving me to myself.

Ajira waited for me outside. "We need to have a talk."


	12. Chapter 12 Land of my Ancestors

On the roof of the mages guild, Ajira's fur and robes fluttered in the breeze. Colder weather accompanied the month of last seed. In Seyda neen, the weather was warmer, but further inland, the temperature stayed cooler and the air lost much of its humidity. I'd need something warmer to wear than my sleeveless shirt.

"Ajira didn't thank you for helping her with those thugs," she reminisced aloud.

"I probably would have found another reason to fight them. I don't exactly have a clean slate myself, but I have a pet peeve when it comes to people being a nuisance."

She smiled at my attitude. It was always interesting talking to a Khajiit. With men and elves, our faces still shared similar features, but Ajira's feline face was more difficult to read. "It is brave to lend aid to a stranger, but you may want to be more cautious in the future. Ajira doesn't know what it's like where you grew up, but there are many powerful factions here in Morrowind and even if they don't war openly, they do clash secretly. You don't want to get caught in the middle."

"Would you be referring to the mages and fighters guilds?" She had left the room during my conversation with Ranis, but with the characteristic good hearing of Khajiit, she was probably listening the whole time.

"You Dunmer are so comfortable with discussing secrets, that sometimes you don't guard them as closely as you should. Yes, the guilds are at odds, but we are new to this arena. There are older forces at work and often they are at odds with us."

"I know about the five great houses."

"Ah, but only three are prevalent on Vvardenfell. Hlaalu, Redoran, and Telvanni."

"My mother comes from house Telvanni."

"Do not tell that to Ranis," Ajira warned. "She seems to hold a grudge against them."

"I owe no loyalty to them. Thanks for the advice though."

"You asked about the temple on the silt strider. You should know that they are not to be trifled with."

"I assume they don't approve of daedra worship. Do they worship the divines from the Imperial religion?"

"Far from it. They despise foreign gods. I don't know much about their worship, but you'd do well to abide their laws."

"What are they?"

"Mostly they outlaw any worship outside their own. They tolerate the Imperial cult, but only because they dare not challenge the Empire. Ajira would keep Daedra worship to herself if she wore your shoes."

"Who enforces the temples law? Do they employ the city guards?"

"No, the city guards are employed by whatever great house rules the city. Here in Balmora, it is house Hlaalu. The temple has its own force of Ordinators. Ajira saw them when she visited the city of Vivec. They wear magnificent golden armor and helmets that look like a face. They give Ajira chills in the spine."

I was beginning to get used to her referring to herself in the third person. "So they punish daedra worship. Anything else?"

"Well, necromancy and lots of old Dunmer legends. They also try to control news of the corprus spreading. Ajira supposes they want to prevent a panic, seeing as we can't escape the island. It's the most logical thing this one has heard of them doing."

"So I need to be careful of the guilds, the great houses, the council club, and the temple. Is that all," I joked?

"Not remotely. There are the crime guilds. The thieves guild seemed to follow us from the Empire. There's the local crime guild, the Camonna Tong. They're all Dunmer and they hate outsiders. Also if you go outside the cities and explore, you may find daedra worshippers. Maybe you aren't afraid of them, but they are dangerous too."

"Why do people live here?"

"If you keep your head low, this land does have its charm and it is steeped in magic and history. Just look at it." She swept her hand around at the city before us. In the early morning sun, the buildings gave off a golden glow, and the Odai river glistened. People of all races bustled about just like in Cyrodiil. To the south, the Odai valley had a road following the river south and I could see what looked to be giant mushrooms. The guards on the walls stood proudly with their bows and spears, their yellow armor complementing the sun's glow.

A chill ran up my spine and I experienced a sense of familiarity. This was the land that had produced my family. I had ancestors buried here and I might even have grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins I'd never even met. It was possible. I'd have to find a map and visit the east coast some time.

"Maybe you're right," I whispered reverently. "There is something to this place."

The moment was interrupted by my stomach growling loudly. "Thank you for the information Ajira. I'll watch my step. It's time for breakfast."

She rubbed her eyes tiredly. "No, it's time for bed. Sleeping on the silt strider is far from restful."

"I'll be back tomorrow to check in with Ranis."

Ajira waved as I went to explore the city.


	13. Chapter 13 The Fighters Guild

There were four taverns in town. I decided to eat at one of them instead of buying supplies at the market. I needed hot meals to recover my strength. Since the council club was out of the question, there was the eight plates tavern, the lucky lockup tavern, and the South Wall cornerclub where I was supposed to ask about Caius Cosades whereabouts.

I stuck to the eight plates since the lucky lockup was next to the council club. The place was clean and the food was good. The barkeep explained the layout of the town at my request. On the east side of the river you had labor town, full of low cost houses and the South Wall cornerclub. It was the less reputable part of Balmora.

The waterfront was all residential on either side of the river. Here on the west side, you had the commercial district where most of the legitimate businesses were, including the two guild halls. There was another section of town carved into the hills beyond the commercial district called high town. This is where nobles had their mansions with a few high profit businesses and the Hlaalu town hall.

After breakfast, I decided not to waste the day sightseeing and checked out the fighters guild. The sooner I could start earning money, the sooner I could go home. The guildhall was right next to the mages guild and the building was identical. They had probably been built at the same time.

I entered to the sound of yelling. The main floor was empty, but I could hear people in the basement. I followed the noise to a training room downstairs. A half dozen people were gathered around a large open room. A bulky redguard man with a shaved head stood in the middle with a mock wooden sword. He bounced on the balls of his feet as a bright red haired nord woman stepped into the arena with her own mock sword. They traded blows fiercely for a minute, then the woman stepped out and an Imperial man stepped in.

The fights flowed together without any pause in between and I had to be impressed with the Redguards stamina. Sweat poured down his face and his breathing was hard, but he kept going. The Imperial man was replaced by a dark elf and they continued sparring until I cleared my throat.

They all turned to look at me. The Nord woman greeted me. "Hello sir. Are you looking to hire some help?" The other residents seemed to be holding their breath.

"Actually I'm looking for work."

The fighters all groaned, not trying to conceal their disappointment. The Nord turned on them. "Can it! I didn't tell you to stop." With lots of grumbling, they obeyed and she returned her attention to me. "That's tough luck. Work is a little dry right now. Besides that, you look a little on the scrawny side."

I nodded. "Thank you for your time then. I guess I'll just keep looking."

The woman bit her lip and the redguard called from the training floor. "Hey Eyedis. We can give the kid a chance, can't we? There is that one job."

She looked back at the group. "Yeah," said the Imperial man. "Besides, if he's got any skill at all, we can train him."

I looked curiously from Eyedis to the others. She sighed. "Alright. I have one job if you're interested, but it's none too glorious."

"What is it?"

"There's a woman who lives on the waterfront on the east side named Drarayne Thelas. She contracted me to exterminate some cave rats that have invaded her house. The problem is, none of these mommas boys want the job. If you can clear out the rats and collect the payment, I'll consider you an apprentice in the fighters guild."

Clearing out rats wasn't exactly what I had in mind, but it was a job and I needed the gold. "Alright, I'll do it."

Eyedis looked relieved that I'd accepted. "Good. She's expecting someone this morning. But keep in mind, clearing out the rats is only half the job. Some clients will try to avoid payment. The agreed amount is one hundred septims. If she won't pay, either do a better job or strong arm her."

I grinned as I turned back the way I came. Some of the guild members were snickering at me, but that last part sounded more like what I was used to."

***

After a bit of asking around, I found Draraynes' house. The old Dunmer woman was sitting on her porch, tapping her foot to alleviate her anxiety. Before I said a word, she sprang to her feet. "Are you from the guild?"

"Yes I..."

She interrupted me. "Oh I'm so glad you're here. They're in my bedroom and my attic. I don't want you stabbing them and getting blood all over my house, so I got you this." She took a short fat basket with a woven lid and stuffed it in my hands.

"What do I..."

"You can trap them inside and then drown them in the river. Now quickly, before they can do any more damage." She shoved me through the door with surprising strength for an old woman. The main room was small with only a limited kitchen and sitting area. There was one door besides the one I had come through and I could hear scratching on the other side.

I approached the door quietly and readied the basket. Flinging the door open, I found two rats the size of watermelons standing in the threshold. "Oh sweet Mephala, what are these things?" I don't know who was more surprised once I trapped them in the basket, me or the rats. There had been rats in the prison in Cyrodiil, but nowhere near this big. "What's wrong with this place?"

I slid the lid under the basket. The vermin squealed as it pushed against their feet. I then flipped the basket over, tied down the lid, and dragged it out of the house.

"Oh, are they in there?" Drarayne looked torn between wanting to see and wanting to stay away.

"Yep, two of them." I dragged it out onto the small dock closest to the house and lowered the basket below the water while the woman watched from a safe distance. After the cave rats quit struggling inside, I opened the lid and let the bodies float away.

Drarayne wasted no time in leading me to the loft. I prepared for much the same thing as before and kicked the door in. I dropped the basket on the first one I saw. A second one darted for the door, but I dove, grabbed him by the tail, and threw him under the basket before he could bite me. My breath caught in my throat when I saw a third dart out the open door. Drarayne screamed and I whipped around, looking for something to weigh the basket down so I could go after the third rat.

Stacking a broken chair on the basket covering the first two, I took off down the stairs. Drarayne was pointing down the street, jumping up and down. I just caught a glimpse of an ugly pink tail disappear around the corner. Giving chase, I cornered it in front of a doorway. It hissed as I advanced and I wished I had a club or something.

The door swung open and the rat made to dart inside, but before it could, I raised my right foot and crushed its head with the heel of my boot. It wasn't a clean kill. Blood and brains squirted out and splattered the young Dunmer who was leaving the building. She gasped, seeing the stains on the hem of her dress.

I had to sweep my hair out of the way to see her face, which was turning from its natural light blue to a magenta. "Look what you've done you degenerate s'wit. What have you got to say for yourself?"

"I... uh." No words seemed to come to me. Should I apologize? Why? Looking at her clothes, she was obviously a noble. She could probably afford new ones.

"Well?" She insisted.

"What's a s'wit?"

She gawked for a moment, unable to come up with another insult and then turned without a word and left. I glanced around me. The sign on the building said south wall cornerclub. There were a few people within sight on the street and none of them looked as well dressed as the lady. In fact, most were fairly disheveled. Two men, one Dunmer and one Nord watched as she passed. The Nord tapped the dunmer on the shoulder and nodded towards her. The Dunmer smiled crookedly. Before they could pursue her, I cleared my throat loudly, grabbed the curved knife off my belt, and flashed it at them. They took the hint and walked briskly in the other direction.

I huffed and nodded in satisfaction. I suppose I owed the girl that much. With the situation under control, I wiped my boot clean in the dirt and took the rats body by the tail to dispose of it in the river.


	14. Chapter 14 Seeking Out an Enemy

Eyedis was sitting in her desk on the top floor of the fighters guild. She seemed fed up with the stack of papers under her gaze. I decided to distract her from her stressful issues and dropped the bag of septims on her desk. She looked up at me sluggishly, rubbing her temples. Her eyes were green and her red hair was tied back with a piece of leather.

"The rats are taken care of."

She laid back in her chair, relaxing for a moment. "Good. You can keep the whole payment as a show of good faith, but in the future, the guild will take a cut."

"Thank you ma'am. I mean Serjo. Oh I don't know what to say anymore."

She cracked a grin. "Ma'am will suffice around here. Are you not a local? I assumed you were."

"No actually, I grew up in Cyrodiil."

She gestured at the chair beside me and said, "Tell me about yourself."

"Uh," I backtracked. "I'm sure you have more pressing matters than my background." I nodded to the surface of her desk, hoping to avoid the subject. She piled all the papers and a ledger in one stack and dropped it off the side of the desk.

"Would you look at that. My schedule just cleared up. One of the perks of running your own guild." She took a bottle from her desk and asked, "Care for a drink?"

"No thanks," I sighed, taking my seat across from her.

"I'm actually from Cyrodiil too. Most of the guild members are. We all came because of the rumors of danger and hostility, thinking that in a place like this, surely fighting men and women could make serious money."

"I take it that that isn't going well."

"No. Not at all. Maybe if this were wild land that had been recently settled, things would be different, but the Dunmer have figured out what it takes to live here. Within the cities, the guards keep the peace with efficiency and the people outside the cities will handle most of their own issues. Lots of the jobs we get are similar to what you just did."

"And you can't go home because of the quarantine," I chimed in.

Eyedis just nodded with a sour look on her face. "So what brings you to Vvardenfel? The lovely people, the mild climate," she joked sarcastically. "Or maybe you just have a death wish."

I allowed a chuckle. "I have heard that there's no shortage of warring factions around here."

"What's your reason?" She pressed, refusing to let the subject go.

I considered for a moment. "Well, I messed with the wrong noble in Cyrodiil and wound up in prison. I guess I just wanted to get out of the country."

She smiled wryly. "Why, is someone still looking for you?"

I chuckled again, this time bitterly. "I hope not." My thoughts were drawn to the papers in my satchel. At first, I hadn't worried about the Empire, figuring I could dodge them as I had all my life, but considering I was alone and how my skills had deteriorated, I began to have doubts. "It shouldn't interfere with an occasional job now and then."

"That doesn't seem very promising," she mused, almost making it an accusation. "If this were regular work, I'd think twice before hiring you, but it doesn't make much difference if a fighter or two disappear without warning. You wouldn't be the first."

A silence grew between us. Eyedis never took her eyes off me while nursing her drink. After finishing her glass, she waved at the door of her office. "Check back with me in a day or two. I have a few promising leads." As I stood she snapped her fingers. "Oh, one more thing. You're welcome to board here. We have plenty of bunks at the moment."

I tipped my head in a thank you before stepping out the door.

That evening, I chose a bunk early and pretended to be asleep. I had too much on my mind to answer a million questions from my new guild mates. After sleeping on a stone floor for so long, the straw mattress was soft and welcoming, but it couldn't distract me from my thoughts. They drifted from subject to subject. At first I thought of all I'd learned about Vvardenfell already. People said it was dangerous, but here in the cities it seemed safe enough.

Then my thoughts drifted towards my mother, Fargoth, and Bargrum. There was no doubt in my mind that they would still be together, although I doubted whether they'd still be working. Tears welled up in my eyes as I thought of how my father's death must have broken Virisa's spirit and worse, she probably believed the Emperor's ruse and thought I was dead too. I feared for her state of mind and begged the gods, all of them to comfort her in her grief. I'd grown up worshipping the daedra that Dunmer had traditionally worshipped, Boethiah, Mephala, and Azura, but I plead to the Imperial cults nine divines also.

After a moment, I chided myself. I don't need Imperial gods and certainly they had no interest in helping me. The more I thought about this, the more the papers in my satchel tantalized me. What message did they hold for Caius Cosades? What was important enough that they'd release me, an elf guilty of high treason?

Ultimately, I decided that if I was ever going to get some sleep, I had to solve this mystery. I dressed in the dark and took my satchel from the chest at the end of my bunk. The other guild members were fast asleep when I ducked out into the hall and onto the street.

I traced my steps from earlier to the south wall cornerclub. I hadn't noticed during the daytime, but it wasn't in a very nice part of town. The two thugs I'd seen from earlier had multiplied. There wasn't a single block that wasn't host to a handful of unsavory individuals. Some starred as I passed, as if deciding whether I was a worthwhile victim. I met their gazes with a challenge and none of them rose to it.

I stepped out of the cold and into the South Wall and was met with the smells of a tavern. There were a few people on the main floor, but the taproom was in the basement. While making my way there, I noticed that there weren't many dark elves in the club. Mostly, the patronage was made of foreigners.

I noticed many sets of eyes watching me as I walked past and I began to think that there was something strange about this place. I descended the stairs to the taproom and scanned the place before going to the bar. Many of them consciously noted my appearance and because I was watching carefully, I realized that many made a conscious effort to look like they were ignoring me.

Still, I noticed at least two follow my movements to the bar. One was an Argonian standing in the corner. The lizardous man wore a simple robe over his olive colored scales. He had multiple piercings in each large ear. I figured him for some kind of mage. They often wore robes as a symbol of their profession.

The other was a Khajiit. The cat woman was covered in short tan-orange hair. She had a very flat face and I noticed her tail was sticking out behind her chair. It lashed from side to side, curiously.

I pretended not to notice them and went to the barkeep. The Imperial man was balding, but he had a sharp look in his eye and greeted me kindly enough.

"What's your poison," he asked? He snagged a clean glass from behind the counter.

I shook my head with a smile. "I'm looking for someone. I was told somebody here would know him." The proprietor put away the glass and leaned in expectantly. "Caius Cosades is his name. I'm guessing he's an Imperial."

"Hmm, yeah I know him. Can't imagine what you'd want to talk to him about. I think he lives on the far north edge of town, but I'm not sure." He looked over my shoulder at the Khajiit. "Habasi, where does that man Caius Cosades live?"

The cat theatrically scratched her chin with one short claw. When she spoke, her voice sounded less like a purr and more like someone gargling sand. "That one lives on the upper east tier. His house is the one on the north end of the street."

I nodded and left a few coins on the counter. "Here, she sounds like she could use a drink." The Khajiit seemed to smirk as I passed. She called out before I got across the room.

"This one did not catch your name."

"This one," I said, imitating her dialect, "Never gave his name." I left without looking back. The place had left an impression on me. I'd been to plenty of inns and bars with a bad reputation, but this one felt different. It almost felt organized, but I laid my suspicions aside for the time being. I had a bigger fish to fry.


	15. Chapter 15 Joining the Rank

I stood in an alley between two houses down the street from Caius Cosades home. It was really in the very corner of town. I'd been arguing with myself for an hour or more. Why was I going to the Empire? What could I possibly have to gain? The more I thought about it, the worse I felt, but something held me from going back. Was I really just that curious? Maybe it was because of how unique my situation was. Why would I be released at all if I was just going to be tricked into capture or execution. I had to find out what was going on.

I rubbed some warmth back into my bare arms and reluctantly walked to the house's front door. I knocked, deciding to act weak and submissive. If he underestimated me, that would give me a small physical and intellectual advantage.

The man who answered the door was bordering old age. His hair was turning gray, but it still covered his whole head. He wore only pants, but his upper body had an amazing physique. His drowsy eyes were red rimmed in a familiar way. I realized what it was by the smell on him. Skooma smoke. It was the same smell my jailor had.

He stood defensively, as if expecting trouble. "Can I help you?"

"I have a package for Caius Cosades." I refused to meet his eyes and spoke timidly. "Is th-that you sera?"

He sighed. "Do you have any idea what time it is?"

"I-I'm sorry sera. It's supposed to be urgent."

"Very well. Come in." He held the door wide while I shuffled in obediently and held out the envelope. He looked at the broken seal and his face went from tired to angry. "You tried to read it?"

I'd forgotten about that. I cowered and tried to cover up my mistake. "I'm so very sorry. I was just curious is all. It was all in code though."

With an angry grunt, he turned from me and read the papers. I waited, pretending to be afraid and look inept. He didn't once turn to comment while reading, his face a mask of stone. When he finally turned to face me, he wore a look of surprise. "The letter told me who you are and what you've done. You were told to follow my orders yes?" I nodded, doing my best to look scared. "My orders from the Emperor are to recruit you to the Blades and have you work under my supervision."

My facade fell away faster than I could curse. "What is he, insane? Who does he think he is?" I stood up straight, matching Caius' height and yelled at him. "He thinks that just because he released me from prison that I'll simply follow his orders? He's mad! You're mad!" He withstood my tirade stone faced.

"Then why did you come? You could have gone anywhere. Vvardenfell is a big island after all." I opened my mouth to retort, but I had no idea what to say. Caius went to a chair and sat down much more calmly than I liked. "Look," he asked in a placating voice. "You have two options. Follow my orders or go back to your cell. You can of course, try to run, but you'll be a wanted elf. Judging by your past, that's probably the conclusion you've come up with. You could probably live in the wilderness and avoid the Imperial guard for a lifetime." Taking on a more practical tone, he continued. "Then again, you could run some errands for me once in awhile. Does that really sound so bad?"

I glared at him. I hated Imperials. So condescending and weak at the same time, but somehow, they had the most powerful government in Tamriel. I took a deep breath and nodded. "I understand my position. What kind of work do you want me to do?"

He cracked a smile. "That's the attitude." He stood up and knelt next to a chest by his bed. "Actually, I don't have anything yet. You're arrival took me by surprise. I'll need a few days to work on my own orders. Meanwhile, you'll need to develop a cover story." He chuckled. "I guess with your past, that shouldn't be a problem."

Despite myself, I felt a flutter of excitement. I did want to get back into subterfuge. The work the guilds offered was sure to be straightforward and mundane, but the Blades would surely be full of intrigue. However, I quickly buried that excitement, reminding myself that I had to get back to Cyrodiil as soon as possible.

Caius pulled a sack of money from his chest and counted out coins. "First, you'll need some better gear. Take this." He indicated a large pile of coins and I shoved them into my satchel. "Get yourself a proper weapon, maybe some armor. Then I want you to find some work. Get to know people and make friends."

"I've already made contact with the local guilds."

"Perfect. Now leave, I've got a lot of work to do. I'll send for you when I need you."

He ushered me out the door against my protests. "But you don't even know where I'm staying."

I stepped heavily out onto the dark street and turned back to him. "Don't worry," he assured me. "I know." He closed the door, leaving me confused. I turned to leave when he opened the door again. "Oh and Han-lu."

"Yes?"

"Welcome to the order." He closed the door again and locked it. I stared for a moment before wearily heading back to the Fighters Guild.

"What have I gotten myself into?"


	16. Chapter 16 My Fellow Fighters

That night, I remember having a dream. The only thing I could remember was some figure wearing a golden mask. He spoke to me, but I couldn't remember what he said. Whatever it was, I awoke with a chill running up my spine.

The other guild members were just waking, but I tried to ignore them again, hoping they'd dress and leave.

"Rise and shine outlander!" Someone lifted my mattress and I tumbled out of bed onto the floor. I threw my arms free of my blankets and rose to my feet with my arms raised to fight. The person who'd thrown me out of bed was a dark elf. He stood on the other side of the bunk with a superior grin on his face. He was taller than me by about two inches. He wore simple leather armor and I could see the pommel of a highly decorative sword sticking out over his left shoulder.

"What do you want?" I demanded.

"Newcomers train early. Now get to the sparring mat."

"Come on Balyn," called a deep voice from across the room. The bald Redguard was polishing a boot, sitting on his bunk. "Leave him alone, at least till after breakfast."

Balyn turned to look at the redguard. "He can eat after he's proved he can fight."

I took advantage of his distraction and tackled the bunk between us. I tipped it so it fell against Balyn and trapped him against the other bunk. The Redguard and and Imperial stood up in surprise and Balyn stared with eyes wide while he struggled to get free. "Wait don't..."

I cut them off, looking straight at Balyn. "You want me to fight you scum?" I paused and pressed on the bunk with my bare foot for emphasis. "Then I'll fight you, but know this. If you ever dump me out of bed again, I won't wait for the practice floor to spill your blood." With that, I tipped the bed back on its feet and released the elf. He stumbled as he tried to regain his balance. I stared him down until he sheepishly apologized.

"You'll have to forgive Balyn," said the Imperial. "We're a little cooped up as of late."

I dressed without answering. At first I was angry for being so rudely roused, but I calmed myself. This was good. It would give me a chance to gauge how much my skills had atrophied.

"What makes you think I'm an outlander, Balyn? How do you know I didn't grow up around here?"

Balyn sportingly forgave my threat and chuckled. "Your voice. If you'd grown up here, you'd have seen ash storms. If you spend your childhood breathing ash laden air, it wears on your voice." Now that he mentioned it, I noticed that his speech had a guttural sound. "That, and Eyedis told us you're from Cyrodiil."

"Loose lipped woman," I muttered under my breath.

"What," Balyn asked?

"Nothing." I shouldered past the tightly spaced bunks. "Come on."

The Redguard interjected. "It's alright. You really don't have to spar right now."

I was already in the hall when I replied, "Why wouldn't I?"

I took a minute in the training room and looked around at all the practice weapons. There were swords, axes, maces all made out of hardwood. The others shuffled in as I took a simple staff made of ash wood. Balyn looked like he might laugh at my choice, but one look at my glaring face warned him off. The Redguard and the Imperial both stood off to the side to watch looking very amused.

Balyn took a wooden sword and stood across from me. The Redguard leaned over to the Imperial. "Five Septims on the new guy."

The Imperial snorted. "You're on."

I took a two handed grip on my staff. The extra reach and the leverage I had would give me an advantage. Looking at Balyn, I could tell by his easy stance that he was at least somewhat experienced.

I made the first move, striking with the left end of the staff. He blocked easily and and I followed with the right. I caught and redirected his swings and stabs with all sections of the staff. I strafed right, trying to throw him off and give me time to breath. _By Oblivion,_ I thought, _I'm winded already._

Balyn saw I was getting tired and pressed on me. His sword flashed from one side to the other. I tried to use minimal effort to block, saving my energy and biding my time.

He lunged to my left. I deflected the blow with the middle of my staff and followed through with a side kick to his stomach. Balyn grunted and drew back. The two spectators oohed teasingly at him. I drew back to try and catch my breath, twirling the staff. I'd learned what I needed to know, so I decided to switch tactics and end the fight at the earliest opportunity.

Balyn renewed his assault and I had a hard time keeping up with him. One of his stabs caught me painfully in the shoulder, but I kept fighting. I struck a couple of token blows, but huffing for breath as I was, I left myself open to a slice to my right side. By all rights, it was a killing blow and I yielded.

The Redguard clapped. "Good show boys, good show. We just might make decent warriors out of you yet," he joked.

Balyn humphed. "I was a decent warrior before your guild came along. As for you," he turned to me. "You've got some work to do if you want to keep up around here."

"I'll make a note of that," I said politely. I didn't want to start a feud with any of the other guild members. At least not yet.

Balyn turned to leave. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have some important matters to attend to today."

The Redguard rolled his eyes as Balyn strode from the room, then turned to me. "Sorry about him. He doesn't play well with others. Come on, let's get something to eat."

"Thanks, but I should be getting to my business too." The sooner I could find jobs to do, the sooner I could get off this island.

"Don't give me that," he chuckled. "I've only got enough patience for one tight nosed dark elf around here. Besides, it's my treat."

He ushered me to follow him, leaving no room for argument. The Imperial followed behind me and introduced himself and the Redguard. "I'm Hasphat by the way. Hasphat Antabolis. And the baldy in front of you is Wayn."

Wayne laughed at the gibe. "You wish you could pull off the look. Your pale scalp would fry to a crisp without your hair."

"Well it's not so much the heat here in Morrowind, it's the humidity," Hasphat parried.

"You haven't been very far inland have you? The ashlands are dry as can be," Wayn retorted.

Han-lu listened to their banter and paid attention to his surroundings. He decided he liked Balmora. The town was pleasant enough. Of course, he had already run into some of the less reputable citizenry, but it appeared the city guard had the riff raff well in hand 'Good,' he thought to himself. It was similar to the Imperial city where street crime was very rare, leaving the economy free to flourish. Then the professional criminals could take over.

Despite his intentions to leave as soon as possible, he imagined setting up shop here. 'I'd have to muscle in on the other crime guilds,' he thought, 'but I could smuggle banned goods, blackmail city officials, and maybe even racketeer. He shook his head, realizing he'd missed a good chunk of the conversation between Hasphat and Wayn.

Hasphat was droning on, unaware of Han-lu's lapse in concentration. "I came here because of the rumors of ancient ruins. Honestly, I could care less about competing with those glossy eyed scholars next door. They come here to study the history of this land, but bring books from where they came. There's plenty of knowledge to be learned here without the Empire telling you what to think of everything. You won't find it in the Empires tomes, right Han-lu?"

Han tripped over his words, trying to say something coherent. "I uh, suppose if you come here to study, you might as well study what's here."

"Hmph, well said," the Imperial praised. Like the rest of his people, he thoroughly enjoyed wordplay.

Wayn led us to a small outdoor restaurant called the Kwama kitchen. The kitchen was built in a small building. There were six round wooden tables in front of it. The eating area was covered by a large sheet of canvas as if it were an open large man ordered for me, Hasphat, and himself before leading us to a table.

As he situated his bulk onto a loudly creaking stool, he asked," So Han-lu, what sort of fighting experience have you had in the past? You've obviously held a staff before."

I cringed internally, trying to decide how much truth to throw in with my lies. "My dad was a caravaner in Cyrodiil. We practiced fighting and we had to drive off thieves and bandits on occasion. I'm afraid I'm terribly out of shape though. I contracted ataxia a month before coming here. The disease nearly took my life."

Hasphat rested his elbows on the table, getting comfortable while we waited for our food. "Why did you leave, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Same as you I guess. Heard rumors that there was money to be made."

Hasphat's grin turned to a half cringe. "I suppose you're in the same unlucky boat as the rest of us then. Poor sod. Just stick with us. We'll find some way to make it. With so much down time on our hands, some of the guild members are researching our own side projects." A dark elf approached our table. I had to whip my long hair to the side to see that it was the waitress bringing our food. She kept a somber expression, avoiding my companion's eyes. She caught me staring at her face. Casually, I gave a nod and she grinned back before returning to her work.

The plate before me held a pile of steaming meat, gravy, and some sort of chopped vegetable. "Would it be polite to ask what this is before putting it in my mouth?"

Hasphat stifled a snort while Wayn chuckled openly. "Get used to brown food. It's common here in Morrowind. That is chopped ash yam and mudcrab with gravy. We get a discount on mudcrab here because I'm the one who hunts it for them."

I gritted my teeth and braced my palate. We had mudcrabs in Cyrodiil, but seeing as they were bottom feeders, the meat tasted like the bottom of a river and few chefs were bold enough to cook with it.

I politely muscled down a forkful of the muddy mush and said, "Not bad."

Hasphat swallowed and retorted. "True, but it's not good either."

Wayn thumped his chest with mock bravado to hide the fact that he was choking it down himself. "Be that as it may, it's packed with nutrients. It'll put some hairs on your chest, that's for sure."

Hasphat pointed at Wayne. "Actually, elves don't grow hair on their chest."

Wayn drew his eyebrows together and turned to me. "No way, is that true?"

I nodded. "My chest is as smooth as your scalp."

"Well," he drew up. "I guess you learn something new everyday."

Among the flow of customers, I momentarily caught sight of a familiar figure sitting at a far table. Ajira, the Khajiit from the mages guild was lost in a book and absently picking at her plate with her fork. Hasphat caught my gaze and spotted her across the dining area. He leaned in and whispered, "Those Khajiit are supposed to have really good hearing. Do you think she could hear us from here?"

I smirked and said, "Of course. Her ears turned toward us as soon as you said Khajiit." As soon as I said it, Ajira's ears laid flat down on her head and it became obvious she was trying to ignore us. Wayn and Hasphat shared a laugh and Ajira's lips closed a little tighter as she concentrated on her book.

"Come on over here Ajira. Join us." Finally she looked up at me with a resigned sigh and crossed the distance between us with her book clutched to her chest.

Hasphat looked surprised that I knew her name, but didn't get to question me about it. "What is it that's so important that you'd interrupt this one's studies," Ajira demanded?

"I'm sure you can spend a little time meeting some of my new friends." I smiled innocently at the introverted cat as she fought to keep her hackles from rising. I introduced them to each other. "Ajira and I met on the silt strider the other day," I explained. "She's a student with the mages guild."

"A pleasure to meet you," the two humans responded.

"Hasphat, weren't you just saying something about the guild mages on the way over here?"

"Ah, yes. "He turned to Ajira. "I pointed out an observation I've made that many of the mages in your guild traveled here from Cyrodiil, but you seem to spend all your time in your guildhall. Don't you ever explore archaeological sites, or look for local magic rather than browse those dusty old tomes?"

Ajira looked annoyed that she had to take the time to answer his question. "Ajira supposes we look at artifacts that are brought to us from time to time, but Ajira is still just a student. Besides, as you have just seen demonstrated, Ajira has excellent hearing. She learns much just by eavesdropping."

I smiled, remembering a Khajiit spy my father had hired on several occasions. His hearing and stealth skills had made him a valuable infiltrator.

Wayne interjected. "I imagine that could also cause you a dilemma though. If you're trying to read, you'd constantly be distracted by noise, wouldn't you?"

Ajira smiled. "This one makes the best of what she has and tries to enjoy what advantages she has. For example, Ajira can hear other people's whispered secrets, but others can not hear hers." The cat leaned down close to my head and purred into my ear. "Ranis has a job for you." She stood and looked to my acquaintances. "Now if you will excuse her, this one bids you farewell."

She walked away briskly, robes bustling in the slight breeze. I looked down at my half eaten plate with growing distaste. Wayn noticed and said, "You going to finish that?" I pushed the plate over to him.

Hasphat stared at me with a question in his eyes. "Well, what did she say?"

I grinned. "She said that Khajiit rule and humans drool." I nodded to Wayn's chin where a bit of gravy was trailing its way downward. He laughed good naturedly before wiping his chin. "Thank you for the meal, but I need to get going. There's much to be done today."

"Farewell then," Hasphat waved.

Wayne nodded and swallowed. "See you later."


	17. Chapter 17 Dirty Work

I strode down the ramp to the mages guilds chilly basement. There were a handful of people in the large common room and I found Ranis sitting across a table from a tall High elf woman. As soon as Ranis saw me, she excused herself from the table and beckoned me to the room where Ajira had tended my injuries the other day. The room was occupied by a fine robed imperial girl and Ajira herself. Ranis shot a look at the Imperial, who quickly left. Ajira, looking up from her book, moved to follow suit.

Ranis held up a finger and waggled it at Ajira. "Not you darling. You stay." Ajira sank back into her seat, ears lowered in submission. Ranis daintily perched on a spare stool and addressed us both. "Han-lu, I have two jobs I'd like to offer you if you feel up to it. There is a cavern called Punabi a few miles to the east where I have a research team operating. They've been quite independent since they set up shop and only send me occasional updates. However, they don't seem to respond to my return letters. The sorceress in charge incurred a debt previous to leaving and refuses to acknowledge that it is due. You are to collect 2000 drakes from her."

Ranis stopped and looked me over as if evaluating me. "You mentioned you had experience in this sort of thing, correct?" I answered with a simple nod. "So if you were unable to recover a debt like this in the past, what would be your secondary course of action?"

I put on my business face and explained, "Usually it doesn't come to that, but my…" I paused to consider my wording. "My former employers were not to be taken lightly. On the rare occasion I couldn't collect, I made the debtor an example."

Ranis nodded, satisfied with my answer. "No need to elaborate. Do as you see fit. The sorceress is a Dunmer named Manwe."

I caught a slight movement from Ajira, who pursed her lips with discontent. She didn't approve of how strict Ranis was being. Or perhaps it was how far I was willing to go that bothered her. Still, she lacked the confidence to protest out loud. I couldn't help but wonder why Ranis asked her to stay.

The dark elf continued, "The second job is nearby the first in a tower called Sulipund. There is a wizard there named Llaler Bareloth. He is not a member of our guild. I want you to solve that." She pulled a sheaf of paper from her robe. "Get him to sign this document at any cost. If he refuses, kill him. I can't afford to compete with Telvanni wizards anymore."

Ajira made a slight growling noise before she could stifle it, but I looked to Ranis. "Telvanni you say?" Ajira glanced between us, her tail involuntarily lashing with interest. I remembered her warning me not to tell Ranis that my mother had been Telvanni.

"Yes," Ranis responded. "Great house Telvanni is a powerful political group here. If I can muscle in on some of their magic studies and brightest members, the guild will have a much greater advantage on this island. Can you do this?"

Honestly, I was nervous about leaving town for the wilderness. Highwaymen and animals didn't used to scare me, but in the shape I was in and having no knowledge of the surrounding area, I gave pause before answering. _Then again,_ I thought, _she didn't give me a deadline. I'll have time to take it slow if need be._ I accepted with a nod.

"Perfect." She turned her head toward Ajira, "As for this alchemist shut in, it would seem that some of our members feel no need to assist with matters related to the guild and are perfectly content to sit with their nose in a book all day."

Ajira wisely made no reply as Ranis continued ranting. "As it is, you need to study the local flora and fungi for your advancement report. Maybe if I send you with Han-lu, you might pick up a useful skill, or maybe just a better attitude. Either way, I don't want to see you back here until Han-lu returns. Is that alright with you Han-lu?"

I had to stop myself from sounding too eager. Bringing a mage and healer just sounded like a good idea, whether Ajira liked it or not. "Of course guildmaster," I replied graciously.

"I'm glad to hear it." She handed me the contract for Llaler along with an oilcloth map of Vvardenfell with the locations on it. At a glance, I realized it would be more than a one day journey. "Is there anything else you need from me?"

I thought for a moment. "Um, is there a book of rules for mages guild members?" It was always helpful if you could find some violation or stipulation to manipulate.

"Yes," Ranis stood. "I'll get you a copy of the mages guild charter. In fact, you should leave it with Llaler once he's signed."

She left the room and I was alone with Ajira. The cat stared at me with distaste. "When you protected this one from the council club, Ajira thought you were a good one."

I shrugged. "I'm good to my friends. Everyone else is expendable." I moved to follow Ranis and let Ajira prepare for the trip.

"Han-lu does not have many friends, does he," she called after me?

I paused like I'd been punched in the gut. I'd never had many friends, but I was alone now more than ever. The fighters guild members were friendly, but something about them put me off. I wasn't like them. I couldn't be trusted the way they trusted me. Strangely enough, I felt more comfortable around Ajira who was currently eying me with suspicion. I managed a grin. "Just you I suppose."


	18. Chapter 18 Across the Foyoda

I bought a small pack in the market, along with some supplies. I considered buying a proper sword, but cringed at how much that would take from my funds. Instead, I returned to the fighters guild and found an ashwood staff with steel tips among the scattered training weapons. I figured nobody would miss it for a couple days. Besides, I still had magic to bolster my fighting, even if it was a fraction of its former power. I'd have to practice and test my spells along the way so I'd know my limits when danger neared.

Ajira met me at the city's southern wall. I'd been waiting for her, browsing the mages guild charter on the steps of the silt strider platform. She wore her plain blue mage robes and a satchel. The only weapon I saw was a small knife, probably for botany more than combat.

"I don't suppose the silt strider could drop us off." Ajira shook her head, barely acknowledging me. She stood and followed me out of the city alongside the Odai river. The sky was cloudless with a slight breeze. I pulled the oilcloth map from my purse on my belt. "Now if I remember correctly, we have to cross a bridge just outside the walls."

Ajira walked past me and turned left a few feet ahead where the bridge was hidden from my sight by a tree. I tucked the map away and picked up my staff, not wanting to be left behind. She never looked back to see if I was following.

"Ok, I'll follow you," I clarified loudly. She sniffed derisively. "Are you going to maintain this passive-aggressive attitude for the whole trip, because that'll get old really fast. If you remember, I didn't assign you to follow me."

"Of course, Ajira is being silly and should just follow orders happily. That's what the dark elves like Ranis want. They think Khajit are only good as slaves. Divines forbid any of us actually learn anything. No Ajira should just run errands and collect debts like Han-lu and be thankful for the opportunity."

I caught up to her on the stone bridge and kept pace. "Ajira, I'm not like Ranis. I'm just doing a job to get paid. What's wrong with taking care of some guild business once in awhile?"

She reared on me and stuck a furry finger at my chest with a claw just sticking out from the fur. "You are just like Ranis. You only care about the money and the power. You don't care that Ajira is trying to find one last ingredient to invent a more powerful healing potion and you don't care what Manwe is researching. She could find valuable ancient magic items at her dig site that could expand our knowledge of magic tenfold, but as long as Ranis gets her gold and you get paid, you will stymie their work and hurt their researchers without thought. Your stone cold manner may impress Ranis, but I find much to be desired."

I wanted to step back from her onslaught, but I was on the edge of the bridge. Only one other person had talked down to me like that before. Uriel Septim himself. My initial response was to get defensive. "You're right. I've always done things for the money. Why not? What did Manwe ever do for me? I was loyal to my family, because I knew they'd watch my back, but why does this Manwee or Llarer Bareloth deserve as much?"

Ajira shook her head. Despite her shortness, I felt as though she stood over me. "You may never know the answer to that." She backed off, letting me step away from the edge. "My father is a priest of the divines in Elsweyr in a prevalent city. As such, he is occasionally invited to dine with the cities nobles. He also attends to the sick and advises those attempting to overcome their sins. I've seen nearly every walk of life and yet my father is always the happiest. Happier than the nobles with land, money, horses, and good foods, happier than the hero's or adventurers who come to him for healing, and much happier than the criminals who use others for their own gain.

"Maybe you will never learn the joy of giving, but I will explain to you how frustrating it is to sail to Morrowind alone to research new alchemical ingredients to help the sick and afflicted, then be sent as a debt collector along with a low life thug."

She once again turned and stalked off in the direction of our task, leaving me with a lot to think about. I followed about ten paces behind with my free hand in my pocket. This situation reminded me of my talk with the princess in my jail cell, except I had nothing to lord over Ajira. I couldn't think of a single argument where I had the moral high ground. Half of me wanted to forget it and be done with these thoughts, but I couldn't stop. Eventually, I realized that despite our differences in opinion, I wanted Ajira to like me. I recoiled at the thought. _Am I going soft?_

Finally, I looked up to get my mind off the subject and examined the land around me. The Odai river was far behind us and we traversed a dirt path with two parallel ruts in the dirt from passing carts. A slight breeze blew in from the ocean. Up ahead, I saw that our path led through a narrow gap between mountains. As we progressed, the vegetation thinned out and the ground became dry. The narrow valley emptied out into a completely different landscape as if the low mountains stopped all clouds from crossing. The slight breeze from before now carried bits of dust and dirt.

Ajira finally stopped where the trail split and asked for the map. She traced our route with a claw. "We are just past the mountains, so fort Moonmoth should be on that hill up ahead."

"Is it a Dunmer fort," I asked?

"No, the Empire has built strongholds throughout Morrowind. This is one of them."

I pointed up a little further on the map. "What's this?" There was a little patch of brown spanning what looked like a very long valley.

"Hopefully a bridge across the foyoda." At my look of confusion, she elaborated. "A foyoda is a valley leading down from red mountain. Last time it erupted, the history books say the lava flowed down the foyoda."

"Got it."

"The map says we go left here." I followed Ajira up the hill. Indeed, there was a stone fort. It probably used to be tall, but ash and dust had piled up against the northern side. In a couple spots, there were only five feet from the ground to the rampart. Two archers stood on the wall with crossbows. They wore their standard issue armor, but also had scarves wrapped around their faces.

Four more soldiers worked outside the walls. Two were digging out the bulwarks and filling a handcart with dirt so it wouldn't overcome the fort entirely. Another two were further up the path dragging an animal carcass back to the fort. They saw us coming and dropped what they were doing to face us.

"Are you two headed into the ashlands?"

I nodded. I hadn't realized that the ashlands were so close, but with the dramatic change of environment, I realized that was where we were headed.

One guard pulled his scarf down to uncover his mouth. His chin was clean shaven according to legion regulation, but he sported an impressively large moustache. "Where to?"

I glanced at the map. "Two places near lake Nabia."

"That's quite a hike. If you've never been in an ash storm before, I wouldn't recommend it."

The other soldier lowered his scarf. "Not to mention bandits. We've gotten word that they've settled into an abandoned Dunmer stronghold called Marandus. You'd probably be safer going the long way."

"What's the long way?"

"Turn around and take the other fork at the bottom of the hill. You'll cross through the bottom of the foyoda and back into green country. From there, find the city of Suran and hire a boat to take you up Nabia river to the lake. It may add a day to your journey though."

"How far is it to the lake from here?"

The moustached soldier rubbed his chin with a gloved hand. "You could probably make it before dark barring an ash storm, but I'm warning you, it's bad country."

Ajira interjected. "Let's just take the suran route. I need to go there soon anyway."

I shook my head. "Hiring a boat could be expensive and we'd be traveling upriver. Maybe we can use that route on our return trip." Ajira bristled at my excusal.

The soldier shook his head. "Don't say I didn't warn you. Here," he unwrapped his scarf and handed it to me. His companion did the same for Ajira. "You'll at least want these. The legion will issue us new ones." They picked up their animal as we thanked them and I recoiled when I got a good look at it. For Azura's sake, it looked like a giant bug with four animal-like legs.

"What is that ugly thing?"

The soldiers chuckled. "It's a nix hound. The wasteland is lousy with them, but their meat is good. That's more than you could say about cliff racers."

The other soldier shook his head. "I hate cliff racers."

Ajira frowned. "Does this one dare ask what a cliff racer is?"

"You'll find out," they replied on their way back to the fort. "Just keep that staff handy."

Ajira and I looked at each other worriedly. I tried to abate my fears, reminding myself of all the other creatures and people I'd fought. Surely, a couple wild animals would be nothing to worry about. I shrugged and took the lead up the dusty path, Ajira reluctantly following.

Now that I was aware of the dangers we would face, I summoned my magic. I needed to know how much I could count on it. At my command, a spectral sword appeared in my hand. The blade was just as vibrant as it was before my coma, but the effort strained my limited abilities and after fifteen seconds, I cut off the spell short. I cringed. It was difficult to tell, but it felt like I'd used most of my magic reserves.

"What was that," asked Ajira?

"I'm practicing my offensive spells. I haven't used them in a long time."

Ajira bit her lip in thought. "Ajira is not really a fighter, but maybe she should learn some fighting spells. You know, to ward off animals. Could you teach her?"

I mulled it over in my head. "Maybe later. Right now, I need to concentrate."

Ajira sniffed. "What if we run into trouble?"

"You should have thought of that before we left. Besides, I'm sure I can handle…" My sentence was cut off when we topped the ridge to find the sturdiest bridge I'd ever seen. Even the stone bridges of Cyrodiil were weak in comparison. It was wide enough to comfortably hold two wagons side by side and maybe even three if they squeezed. It was nearly fifty yards across and made out of a solid brass-like metal. I ventured out onto it and found it completely steady despite an increase in wind speed.

"Who built this thing?"

Ajira thought for a moment. "The dwemer. They were ancient elves and there are supposed to be ruins of their civilization scattered all over this island."

"Impressive. It looks like it's nearly new."

Ajira walked ahead. "Yes well, when you are done swooning over the bridge, you are welcome to join Ajira."

I ignored her and leaned over the edge to see the supports before moving on. The idea that a people would put so much effort into a single bridge astounded me. _What did their dwellings look like?_ I had, of course, heard of the dwemer before, but they hadn't lived in the province that was now called Cyrodiil, so I'd never seen their ruins. One day, I'd have to explore some.

I jogged to keep up with Ajira who was approaching the end of the bridge. There were dried, worn crates piled up on the right side, but Ajira paid no attention to them until we heard a crazed yell of surprise. An old white haired man stood up from among the pile and whirled on Ajira. He wore threadbare pants and nothing but a cuirass of iron armor over his chest. Had I not been so surprised, I might have observed how uncomfortable that had to be. As it was, I leapt after Ajira.

The man went after her, grabbing for her arms, but Ajira struggled to escape and struck out with her claws. The man's arms began to bleed, but he didn't seem to notice.

Finally, I reached them and tackled the man away, bringing my staff into position. The man switched his attentions to me and tried to proceed as though I were unarmed. The steel tips of my weapon swooshed through the air. I smacked him in the head and he kept coming. I landed a savage blow to the knee. The joint buckled for a moment and he fell, but stood right up.

He ran in close and grabbed me in a bear hug, trapping my staff between us. His arms crushed the air from my lungs and I pummeled his head in desperation. I reached for my magic and commanded a weapon to appear in my hand. My racing mind somehow settled on an arrow instead of a dagger and I plunged the summation through the neck hole of his armor repeatedly until he let me go. My staff fell to the bridge and I had to let the arrow go, so I switched to boxing after retreating a few paces to catch my breath.

The human was wide eyed and angry. He bull rushed me, but I stopped him with a straight cross to the nose. I followed with a left hook and a right uppercut starting to realize that he wasn't responding to pain. Before he could recover, I reached around, grabbing him by the cuirass and pushed him against the railing on the edge of the bridge. He grabbed the rail with both hands, but they were slick with blood and slipped easily as I dead lifted him over the side, where he tumbled into the foyoda many feet below and landed with a thud.

Ajira stood frozen in place, breathing heavily. Her terrified eyes met mine. "You will teach Ajira a fighting spell now, yes?"

I swallowed hard and nodded. I'd been foolish not to teach her anything right away. Before I could respond, we heard another sound from among the crates. I picked up my staff and approached the crates to find an Argonian woman humming pleasantly to herself. There were a handful of empty vials and two full ones scattered around. The smell of skooma hung thickly on the air and I spotted a pipe in the Argonians mouth.

The smell had a strange effect on me. My mouth began to water and I noticed my staff moving involuntarily, because my hand was shaking. The Argonian didn't seem to notice us or realize that her friend was missing. She hummed happily, oblivious to the world around her.

Ajira hissed, covering her nose. "Nothing good comes from the skooma." She stepped over the crates and took the remaining bottles in hand, drawing back to throw them into the foyoda. I grabbed her hand before she could fling them and she looked at me, then at my shaking hand. "Oh Han-lu, not you too?"

I wrestled the vials from her grip and stuffed them in my bag. "It's not what you think. I don't use it, but I can sure use the money. I'm the low life thug remember?"

I left Ajira shaking with anger, letting her follow when she chose to. The Agonian continued enjoying her trip, completely oblivious.


	19. Chapter 19 Ash Storm

Ajira was angry with me, but I distracted her by explaining how to conjure objects. It could only be a good thing for her to know in the case that we ran into trouble, but from past experience, I knew her usefulness with a sword or a spear would be limited. She was a slightly built, scholarly, healer and as we talked, I realized that our fight with the skooma addict was her first experience in fighting. She didn't even take time to keep her claws sharp like most Khajiit and had just used the points to tear.

Still, teaching her was a good trade for getting her glaring eyes off my bag and it dispelled her brooding mood. Even better, the more I talked about the magic skills I'd been neglecting, the more details and tricks I remembered myself.

She struggled as we walked, concentrated on her open hand. Blue shadows seemed to partially take shape for a couple seconds at a time before dissipating back into the light of day. "Why can't Ajira make it work," she asked?

"Well, what kind of weapon are you picturing?"

"A knife."

"Well what kind of knife?"

Her cat lips pursed and she shrugged in frustration. "I don't know, just a normal knife."

"Aha," I exclaimed! "I think I know what you're doing wrong. See, I have a natural advantage at this because I've used all kinds of weapons. Details matter. You have to imagine things like shape, weight, what it's made out of, how it's balanced, that kind of thing."

"But Ajira thought it was made out of shadows or magic."

"Yes, but magic doesn't know how to take shape on its own. You have to think for it and help it fill in the details. One trick I used a lot is I would make copies of weapons I was familiar with. Like this."

I conjured a copy of my Nord broadsword I left with Bargrum back in Cyrodiil. "I never used to go anywhere without this sword on my person. I spent hours with it in my hands. I know its weight and balance perfectly. I can copy the texture of the wire wrapped handle. That's a good trick for beginners and honestly, I never tried to move past that. My mom was much better at it. She could make up a weapon from scratch and she could make it whatever weight she wanted. She could make it less than a pound when she moved it which made her super fast, then when she needed to block or stab, she could make the weapon super heavy, allowing her to block much bigger weapons or pierce armor like butter."

"Ajira is still confused."

I sighed. "Alright, try this. Make a perfect copy of your little alchemy knife."

Her fingers fell to the little sheath and she drew the blade. "Feel its shape and its weight in your hand and imagine one just like it in your other hand."

There was no hesitation this time. No delay. A bluish spectral replica appeared in her left hand that was just as solid and existent as one of my summations. She looked up at me with a grin. "It's much easier that way." I nodded and gave her an appreciative smile, hoping it would be enough to satisfy her. Instead she held out her hand. "Let me try it with your staff."

I handed her the pole, "Knock yourself out. I've got to check the map." The landscape didn't change much here. We'd seen a handful of hardy animals and rare patches of prickly shrubs, but no other people. We followed paths at the bottom of small canyons between large hills With few to no distinguishing features. The place was a veritable maze and I was only able to navigate by the position of the sun. By my calculations, we were nearly to the lake, which was good because night was falling.

With Ajira behind me, busy studying the details of my borrowed staff, she didn't notice the shift in the wind that I did. My map fluttered and I realized that the breeze was no longer coming from the west, but from the north and it had turned hot. I walked out into the crossroads where I could see a valley to the north. A wall of dust billowed towards us faster than a galloping horse.

"Ajira!" All I said was her name. She looked up and quickly followed my lead, putting on the scarf the soldier had given her, wrapping it to cover her mouth and leaving only a slit for her eyes. I had time to grab her arm before the storm hit us. The ash buffeted my bare arms and obscured my vision. I squinted and felt around for the staff Ajira had dropped. I found it and stood, realizing I had no idea which way to go. I couldn't see far past my hand, let alone the sun.

I yelled desperately to Ajira. "I don't remember which way! Any idea where east is?" She kept her head tucked down, scared and completely overwhelmed by the elements. I shook her. "We can't stay here!" Once again, she failed to respond, only scooting closer to me as if afraid we might be swept away by the gale. She would be of no use. I turned to my right and walked until I felt the ground incline, indicating the canyon wall. I thought this might be the foyoda we were meant to follow, so if I stuck to the side of the hill, it should empty out in front of the lake. The only landmark I could remember were some small red circles scattered throughout the canyon, but I had no idea what they were.

Ajira and I clung together and I half dragged her along with me for half an hour with no visual confirmation that we were moving at all. The only sound was the howling wind and the world began to feel empty. I kept to the right until I felt the ground slant under my feet. Eventually, my ankles became tired from walking on such an uneven surface, but I didn't dare stop for fear of losing the only sense of direction I had.

Then, in a moment, a red light seemed to emanate from the ground in front of me and I stopped. Bending down, I experienced extreme heat and saw a little caldera of volcanic rock jutting out of the ground and I could hear a sporadic, deep pitched bubbling sound. I didn't get near the source of heat, currently unable, or maybe unwilling to imagine its source and skirted around it. I prayed it was one of the circular markings on my map.

What seemed like an eternity later, my feet splashed into water. The dust was still too thick to see well, but there was only one source of water marked nearby on my map. This had to be lake Nabia.

Ajira yelled over the wind. Fatigue showed in her voice. "What do we do now?"

I stomped back up to the shore and followed the shoreline, not sure what else we could do. My body felt dry and chapped and very tired, but I couldn't imagine how to find shelter in this.

"Han-lu, Ajira cannot continue. Ajira must rest."

I peered into the great dark blur of the world around us. There was nothing. Finally, I took off my backpack and took a small blanket I'd purchased. It was little more than a bedsheet and I'd meant it more for comfort than heat at the time, but I'd just thought of another use. I laid down on the ground and gestured for Ajira to lay beside me, then threw the sheet over our heads and tucked it under our bodies so the wind wouldn't blow it away. The sheet kept the ash out and that was all we could ask for as we waited out the storm.


	20. Chapter 20 Racketeering

I awoke under a heavy blanket of ash. After a stabbing fear of being buried alive, I flung myself to my feet, slinging ash in every direction. My scarf had tangled in my sleep and I tore it off my face. The storm was over, with only a slight breeze carrying the irritating flecks of ash. The place where I found myself was a huge valley surrounded by mountains. Lake Nabia was the dominating feature, taking up three fourths of the valley. The face of the water was covered in a moving skin of floating ash. There was a clear spot on the surface to the south where I assumed the river was steadily carrying the skin a few miles out to the sea.

Thirty yards up the beach and a little south from us stood a towering structure. It was a fortress no less than four stories high. It was made from an adobe material that matched the tan of the surrounding landscape and caused it to blend into the background.

I opened my map while Ajira awoke much the same way I had. No sooner had she thrown off her scarf then she started yelling, her voice hoarse from the dry ash laden air. "Never has Ajira been so miserable as she was yesterday. Ajira didn't come to Morrowind to get lost and die under a pile of ash. Ajira quits! Ajira will find work with someone else."

Ignoring her and studying the map, I realized what the fortress was and clamped a hand over her maw. "Ajira, I think that's the bandit fort the soldiers warned us about."

Her eyes widened with understanding and she removed my hand, whispering, "What should we do?"

I scanned the area to make sure we hadn't been noticed and took in the details. There was nobody outside the building and no sign of life. I noted a small dock with four row boats. "Didn't you say you needed to go south to Suran for your research?"

"Forget the research. Ajira is quitting the guild."

"Well, either way, we'll leave this place eventually. We can either go back the way we came or we can take one of those boats."

"You mean steal?"

"Unless you'd like to risk another ash storm."

Ajira glared daggers at me. "Fine, we steal the boat." She moved toward the dock, but stopped when she realized I wasn't following. "What are you doing?"

"I still have a job to do. Feel free to go without me. The river should lead right to Suran."

Ajira glanced between me and the dock. "But Ajira cannot go alone. Ajira cannot swim. She has never even rowed a boat."

I shrugged and looked at my map. "Then you'd better stick with me." I found a dot on the map that was marked Punabi and turned in the direction opposite the fortress. Ajira didn't follow me right away. I kept walking though, and she eventually fell in line beside me. At a glance, I saw she was angry, maybe even on the verge of tears. This surprised me. I turned to look ahead, afraid that any provocation might push her over the edge.

 _I should say something,_ I thought. _But what?_ I reached into my bag and grabbed one of several small burlap sacks. This one contained dried plums. I held the the bag out to her. "Here, we can eat on the go."

Ajira sniffed, discreetly trying to get ahold of herself and accepted my offering. We also ate dried apples and strips of jerky from an animal I'd admittedly never heard of before. I worried when I drained the last of my water, but this was one place Ajira could help. She filled our skins from the lake and performed a spell to purify it. It was something I'd seen done before, but had never taken the time to learn myself.

There were several Foyodas leading into the valley from the north. I chose the one closest to Punabi and within fifteen minutes, Ajira and I were entering a rough wooden door into a dugout in the side of the valley. I expected the red light of fire or maybe just dankness, but what I saw was a smattering of blue crystals stuck in the walls of the tunnel that gave off plenty of light to see by. Ajira stopped as we passed and laid a hand on one of them, staring at its beauty.

I continued forward. As I came upon an opening into a cavern, footsteps rushed to meet me. A mage light appeared like a small sun over a Dunmer woman's head and the light reflected off a deadly spear head in the hands of a robed Nord.

I held up a hand to shield my eyes from the light. "Manwe I presume."

The Nord gritted his teeth in a sneer and Manwe spoke without leaving her defensive pose. "Who wants to know?"

"Han-lu and Ajira. We're guild mages." The Nord stood up and muttered something to the cavern ceiling before turning back the way he'd come. Manwe rubbed her temples.

"I've got nothing left to do with the guild. You can just turn around and go back where you came from." She turned to leave as though the matter was settled. Ajira backed up a few paces involuntarily, but I walked after her into the cavern. I thought back to the mages guild charter and tried to come up with something I could use for blackmail.

"Well that puts you in a rather awkward position, doesn't it?"

Manwe refused to turn and face me, but curiosity did get the better of her. "How is that?"

"Well," I explained. "Ranis still thinks you to be a part of the guild and as you know, guild members cannot commit crimes against each other. As you see it, you've given up the mages guilds protection as one of its members, meanwhile, I still have it."

Manwe came to a small laboratory set up in the cavern and stopped, turning to face me. "We don't need the guilds protection and we have no intention of harming you, so what is your point?"

I shrugged and looked at the nearest table, finding a plethora of glass instruments and potion ingredients. I nonchalantly placed my staff behind an expensive looking piece of glassware and scooted it toward the edge. "Well, if you settle your debts with the guild, you'll have protection from unsavory individuals like me."

Manwe summoned a flame to her hand to look threatening. "Don't even think about it," she warned.

I wagged a finger at her. "Nu-uh. Remember, I've got guild protection. You wouldn't want to bring Ranis down on your head, would you?"

After a short staring contest, she extinguished her flame and sighed. "If I pay the debt, will you leave me alone?"

I smiled, "There's a good chance you'll never see me again."

She nodded several times and told me to wait. Within five minutes, Ajirah and I were walking out the door with the gold. She didn't talk about it. The way I perform my task obviously didn't sit well with her. "What are you going to do about the Telvanni wizard," she asked?

"Probably much the same thing as I did with Manwe." I shifted my bag on my shoulder to adjust for the additional weight of the gold.

"Telvanni are different from Manwe. They are a noble and proud group and their wizards are treated with great respect. If you try to blackmail, he may have us killed. Telvanni are used to handling political tensions. They are not afraid of guild retribution."

"Then, if all else fails, I'll just have to kill him like Ranis asked."

Ajira shook her head. "Han-lu's plan is folly." She didn't speak again, as the place called Sulipund was a short walk from Punabi. Unlike the ramshackle wooden entrance we'd just left, Sulipund was made from stone. It was still dug into the side of the hill, but the top of the structure could be seen poking out of the hilltop. It's roof was a half sphere and coated with copper. Whether this feature was for decoration or some other purpose, I didn't know. The entrance had a stone overhang to shield visitors from the sun and wind. I was about to knock on the expensive wooden door when Ajira stopped me.

"Wait Han-lu. Ajira thinks she should be the one to talk to Llarar. You will just get us killed."

"Uh," I hesitated. She hadn't done much on this trip to earn my commendation. "Why do you care? You're just going to leave the guild."

She averted her face, staring at the ground. "You are Ajiras escort home. If you die, Ajira will be in trouble."

I nodded. "Alright, you can try, but if things get tense, I'm going to kill him and run."

The Khajiit growled, but knocked on the door. There was no answer. She tried knocking again before pushing the door open. There was a long hall made from the same tan stone as the outside. We entered, seeing no one in the torch light, but a voice from down the hall indicated that we weren't alone. Ajira looked at me nervously.

"You're leading," I reminded her.

She followed the voice up a curving flight of stairs until we found ourselves in what looked like a taproom. There were nearly a dozen people here. I expected to find dark elves, but there were also Wood elves and some humans. Most were gathered to a single area sitting so that they faced a single Dunmer wizard who was perched on a bar. I rubbed my eyes, to make sure I was seeing things right. I hadn't expected the building to be set up like this. There were doors all around this room, leading me to believe that the place was larger than the Balmora mages guild.

The Dunmer on the bar had been speaking to all the others, but stopped when he saw us enter. "What do you want?" Every head in the room turned to face us with mixed expressions. Most of the dark elves glared at Ajira, but some of the others looked excited or just surprised.

I nudged Ajira, prodding her to action. "Forgive our intrusion. We did not intend to interrupt. We have business to discuss with the great Llarar Bereloth."

The lead Dunmers expression softened somewhat and he waved us to a table behind the rest of the group. "Very well. If you will wait until I'm done with my lecture, I will see you."

Ajira bowed graciously and we sat where we were asked. Llarar continued his lecture. I listened, curious about what these people would be talking about. He talked about restoration magic and human and elf anatomy, occasionally taking questions from the group. I lost interest, but Ajira seemed riveted start to finish. She took out parchment and wrote notes on what was discussed. I passed the time differently.

I watched everyone in the room. All of them seemed like students. The lesson lasted well over an hour after we arrived and I didn't spot a single weapon larger than a dagger. The problem was that all these people were mages. I knew well enough that a mage didn't need steel to be deadly.

Still, in observing the crowd I saw two members whose mannerisms stood out to my trained eye. Llarar himself never fully relaxed on his perch. I figured he must be trying to study us as much as I was studying them. He might even be suspecting an attempt on his life. Such was the way of Morrowind's politics.

The other was one of his human students. The woman wasn't the only one to glance back at Ajira and I occasionally, but she was obviously on edge and didn't trust us. The rest of them seemed comfortable enough with a pair of strangers in their midst.

When the lesson ended, the students scattered among their tasks and Llarar beckoned us to a set of stairs behind the bar. Ajira took a moment to pack up her ink and notes before following. Llarar silently led us to a beautiful atrium room. I realized that I'd been wrong about the copper covering on the roof. Instead, the top of the atrium was made from a beautiful translucent stone that cast the room in a magnificent yellow light.

The room was spacious and served solely as Llarar's personal quarters with a bed, bookshelves, alchemy equipment and supplies, and comfortable study arrangements. He sank into an armchair behind a grand desk and proffered us to some chairs across from him.

"We don't often get visitors out here in the ashlands. I hope you understand that that is the reason I built Sulipund. That said, why have you made this tremendous journey?"

"Ajira and Han-lu were sent here by the mages guild steward in Balmora."

The wizard nodded. "I am familiar with Ranis Athrys. What is it she desires from me?"

Ajira assumed an air of reverence. "Ranis has heard of you too master wizard. She wishes you to join the Imperial mages guild. She believes there is much we could offer each other."

Llarar leaned back with a chuckle. "Of course there is." He was silent a moment. He tapped his chin theatrically as he thought. "Do you know how old Ranis is," he asked?

Ajira glanced to me, but I shook my head and she turned back to Llarer. "Ajira does not."

Llarar nodded. "Do you know how old I am?"

Ajira shook her head. "Maybe thirties or forties."

I smiled, having a good idea of what he was getting at.

"I am just past my three hundredth birthday. Dark elves can naturally live very long lives, but a secret of great wizards is the ability to extend your bodies usefulness even longer."

Ajira's eyes widened. "That was what you were lecturing about, correct?"

Llarers smile widened. "Yes. I'm surprised you understood."

Ajira bowed her head, uncomfortable to boast her own knowledge. "Yes, Ajira studies healing and alchemy."

Llarar nodded, an amused look on his face. He stood from his seat and paced in front of us. "Do you understand why the Telvanni wizards are so revered?"

"Ajira has heard of your great power and wisdom."

"Which is developed over centuries of learning," he continued off her thought. "You see, compared to me, Ranis is a young, power hungry upstart. She was born into Great House nobility, but seeks power from the ambitious Empire. She is a fool for selling herself to the short lived humans. She could have everything I have if she had the patience and the determination, but she is desperate for a shortcut." He stared Ajira in the eyes. "Perhaps you can learn something from this. As a Khajiit in Morrowind, surely you have been treated badly at times by the dark elves."He waited for her to admit it before continuing. "Do you know why so many elves think they are better than humans and beast races?"

Ajira shook her head, waiting with baited breath. "The reason, young Khajiit, is that we can easily accomplish more. A creature with a lifespan less than a quarter of our own can hardly hope to compete, especially in scholarly affairs. Many elves see themselves superior simply because they'll outlast the people around them by many lifetimes and this is doubly true for a wizard in my position."

He came to a stop behind his chair. "Because you have been so polite, I will allow you to leave this place alive. Few of my competitors are so lucky. I suggest you do so, I predict another ash storm soon after midday."

Ajira glanced at me and stood from her chair. I saw in her eyes that she was terrified I'd try to kill him, but after our talk, I was sure that would be a death sentence. I stood leaning on my staff. My mind spun with the conversation we'd just had and I tried to think of another move. Ajira had tried polite. Maybe I could appeal to his ego.

As we turned to leave the way we came I leaned over to Ajira. "If he was really so wise, I'd think he could turn this around on Ranis." Ajira gasped quietly and braced as if expecting a lightning bolt in the back. Llarar called after me.

"What was that?"

I turned as if surprised he'd heard. "Oh, um nothing."

The wizard left his desk to confront me. "You questioned my wisdom. Pray tell, what am I overlooking boy?"

I pretended to cower. "Well, you didn't even look at the contract. There are services promised to members of the guild and I just thought that someone as wise as you, especially being experienced in dark elf politics, would be able to get more out of this deal than some power hungry upstart."

I glanced at his face to see that he saw right through my innocent rouse, but he gave pause anyway. I did speak some truth and he must have been thinking it over. I took the contract from my satchel and offered it to him. I breathed a great sigh of relief when he accepted it. "Go wait downstairs," he ordered. "I'll call when I need you." His face had turned completely stern.

Ajira and I complied enthusiastically, happy to get out of lightening bolt range. We sat alone at one of the tables. Some of the students looked as though they wished to talk to us, but none approached. It took over half an hour before we were called back into the atrium. Llarar was writing as Ajira and I took our respective seats. The contract was set to the side, but I was able to see fresh ink where he had signed it. What he penned now was a letter to Ranis.

He ignored us while he finished the letter, folded it, and sealed it with candle wax and his signet ring. When he finally looked up, he held the papers out to me. I reached out to take them, but he didn't let go right away. I didn't dare move for the few seconds before he let go. When he finally did, he questioned me pointedly. "Who are you? What gives you the gall to goad an ancient wizard?"

"Well, my name is Han-lu Urshar."

"That's an ashlander surname, but you don't sound like an ashlander."

I didn't like talking about this, but I had the documents I needed. I just had to satisfy this dangerous wizard so I could leave. "My father was ashlander, my mother was actually Telvanni, and I was born and raised in Cyrodiil."

"What's your mother's maiden name?"

"Vules. Viressa Vules."

"Aha!" The wizard shouted, making Ajira jump. "Yes, I've met some of your relatives. They're on the east side of Vvardenfell, aren't they?"

"Sadrith Mora is where my mother came from, but I've never been there or met my extended family."

"Hmm, you ought to. You would be welcome in House Telvanni. You'd be given tasks worthy of your silver tongue and daring wit."

I was wary of telling more people that I didn't intend to stay here long. Instead, I just nodded and thanked him for the invitation. He told me to deliver the contract and letter to Ranis and offered us some preserved food from Sulipunds supplies. We left under friendly terms and as we walked away Ajira shook her head.

"I can't believe you pulled that off."

I didn't reply, but smiled. Ranis sent us here to gain advantage over a wizard. I secured my payment by convincing the wizard that he could gain power over Ranis. At the end of the day, it was just another racket for me.


	21. Chapter 21 River Ride

I cursed my luck. Ajira and I had arrived back at the bandit stronghold to find a guard posted at the dock. The orc held a steel longbow that looked puny in his hands and was in heavy metal armor. Apparently I'd offended fate, because I couldn't be sure I'd ever faced an opponent to match his size.

Ajira shifted and peeked over the withered bush we were hiding behind. "How is Han-lu going to get past him?"

I shook my head. "I don't think we could sneak past. The moment he hears the boat moving, he'll start shooting and warn the others." I glanced at the bandit again. "If I had that bow, we'd be golden."

"Oh," Ajira cried out in an excited whisper. "You could summon a bow."

I rolled my eyes. "It's one thing to summon a sword or an axe, but a bow bends and flexes, not to mention I'd also have to summon arrows. It's a much more complicated spell and I only mastered it after four years of practice. There's no way I could do it now."

We waited, trying to think of something else. The wind started picking up, threatening an ash storm. There was always the option of walking back the way we'd come, but neither of us brought it up. We really preferred taking a boat.

As the ash started kicking up, we both wrapped our heads with our scarves again. I noticed, that the Orc took off his helmet and did the same before moving to a short wooden structure by the dock that would shield him from the storm.

"Okay, I have an idea." I handed Ajira my satchel and staff. "Once he's dead, meet me at the dock." I paused to add an afterthought. "But if I die, you're walking back."

I crept around the bush, relying on the storm to cover any sound I made during my approach. The structure the Orc was in was a little dugout facing south, providing a view of the docks. I crouched behind it and took two rocks in hand. I threw the first into the lake, making a splash. This drew the Orc out of the dugout. He started scanning the beach. I threw the second rock, hitting the dock. He turned with his back toward me, drawing an arrow.

I stepped out and snuck right up behind him and summoned a heavy mace to my right hand. The mace connected with the Orcs right knee and caused the joint to snap. He buckled to his knees, his howl of pain drowned by the wind. I brought the mace back around and clobbered his helmet, but he took this blow. Dazed, he reached around, trying to point his arrow at me, but I stepped right behind him and performed a choke hold.

He dropped his bow and grabbed at my arm. To keep him from scratching me, I put all my weight on his back and pushed his face into the ground. He used one strong arm to push himself back up, giving his other arm room to grab at mine. I held on tightly, bruising my arm on the edges of his helmet, but I knew if I let him pull my arm off, my chances of survival were grim. His grip weakened and slowly, he slumped face first to the ground. I held the choke a few seconds longer than necessary. It paid to be cautious.

When I finally stood, I waved to Ajira. She sprinted to the dock and tossed my things in the boat. Before following her, I decided to strip what gear I could get from the orc. I didn't dare take the time to remove most of the armor, but I took the helmet and placed it on my own head. Even with the extra padding of the scarf, it was far too large to fit properly, but would fetch a fine price. I pulled the bow out from under him, and the quiver of arrows from his back. He also had a sword on his thick belt. I took my knife and cut the belt, sliding the whole sheath off.

Ajira stared anxiously as I ran for the boat with a sword in one hand, a bow in the other, and a helmet shifting loosely on my head. Under other circumstances, it might have been humorous. I tossed the stuff into the prow and waited for Ajira, who was standing on the edge of the dock. "What are you waiting for?"

"Ajira is nervous on boats."

I gasped in the frustration of the moment and stepped past her onto the boat. "Well we're leaving now, so you'd better get on board." She panicked when I untied the boat from the dock and fell to her stomach, pushing herself backwards, easing herself into the boat. As soon as she was seated, I rowed, pushing us into the lake.

"Wait," Ajira demanded. "If you lose sight of the shore in the storm, we will be lost." Her claws sunk deep into the wooden seat.

I tried to stay within sight of the shore, but said, "Don't worry. The water flowing into the river will pull us, I think."

"You think? You think? Ajira does not like this answer."

I shrugged as the shoreline disappeared. "Nothing we can do about it now."

I rowed us in the direction I thought we were supposed to be going in and lost track of time. Ajira clasped her hands and began to pray to the Nine Divines, unable to do anything else. Eventually, I felt a current pulling us along and I pointed us straight into it. The dust cleared more and more the farther we went, until we found ourselves in a pretty canyon. Alongside the river, green things flourished, but there was no room on the banks for a path. The canyon walls were steep, jutting anywhere from ten to fifty feet above the river.

I laughed as Ajira opened her eyes from her prayers. She grinned at me. "We made it?"

"It looks like smooth sailing from here on out."

Her eyes settled on my arm. "You are bleeding." I glanced over to see a couple of shallow bloody furrows in my arm.

"Must have been the Orcs finger nails."

Ajira made me stop rowing to tend to my injury. She carried a few travel size vials with a healing mixture and used her scarf for a bandage, hoping she would never need it again. We relaxed and let the river carry us for over an hour.

"Ajira," I began when the time felt right. "You may not respect my opinion, but I think you should stay with the mages guild."

Ajira was spread out as much as was possible in a five man row boat, catching the sun's warm rays. "Forgive Ajira," she said, "She shouldn't have spoken so harshly to you. You are much more than a thug. You are resourceful and dependable and Ajira misjudged you. But why should she stay with the guild? She will just be abused by Ranis some more. Ajira will be sent into the field to do things she is not qualified for. It seems like a bad idea."

"Well, after I give my report to Ranis, she'll have a new respect for you. Not to mention, on our way back from Suran, we'll be able to get all the samples you need for your studies."

"Do you really think Ajira can succeed in the mages guild?"

"Better than I can. I'm just in it for the money, remember?"

Ajira spread back out and said, "Maybe. Ajira can decide later. It is time for a nap."

I looked at the river in front of us. Seeing smooth, slow waters, I disagreed. "Nope, after that ash storm, it's time for a swim." I removed my boots and let myself tumble over the side of the boat. Ajira hissed as the boat rocked and she clawed at the sides to balance herself, her drowsiness replaced by adrenaline. The water was cold, but not unpleasantly so. Still, it came as a shock when it enveloped my body and I clawed my way to the surface, struggling to fill my lungs.

I swam beside the boat and let my grime wash away while Ajira berated me for my carelessness. I grabbed the back of the boat and gently rocked it. "You look like you could use a swim too."

"Don't you dare Han-lu!"

"Oh no, you're coming up on some rapids," I joked, shaking harder.

Ajira pulled the orcish sword from the scabbard and pointed it at me. "Ajira recommends you think twice about what you are doing."

I lifted my hands in the air and sank back under the surface, making the cat laugh. When I resurfaced, I saw something huge flying above the river. The creature swooped down and grabbed at Ajira's head, scratching her.

"Ow," she shouted in surprise. She dropped the sword and scratched at it until it let go. I hauled myself back into the boat, clothes soaking wet. The creature was reptilian and a sickly green color. It was as big as some of the largest eagles I'd seen in Cyrodiil and much meaner. I took the Orcish steel bow and nocked an arrow. I hauled back with practiced motions, but lost my grip on the string before I reached full draw. The first arrow soared far below my target. Ajira was yelling for me to hurry when I pulled the bow back a second time. This time, I got a better grip and drew smoothly. My back muscles strained and it took everything I had to pull it to full draw.

Staring down the shaft, I watched the creature dive for us, dipped the bow so I was aiming where the creature would connect with the arrow, and loosed. The arrow shot right through its thin body and the creature fell into the river, floating just behind us.

Ajira stared at it. "Nice shot."

"What in Oblivion is it?"

"Probably a cliff racer," she explained, feeling out the scratches on her head.

"Is it good to eat?"

"Ajira doesn't know."

I fished the carcass out of the river and plopped it in the boat. "Maybe we can sell it to a butcher in Suran."

Ajira gritted her teeth, but didn't argue. She'd finally come to accept that I was in this for the money.


	22. Chapter 22 Dancing in Suran

I was dry by the time I was turning the boat to tie up at the Suran docks. The Dunmer dockmaster strode up to us as we disembarked. She wore a wide conical straw hat to keep the sun off. "How long will you be docking your boat?"

"Well that's up to you. I'd like to sell it."

The woman tipped her hat up to peer at the boat. "It looks to be in good condition. Give me an hour and I'll have an appraisal ready."

"Perfect." I strapped the Orcish sword to my belt and slung the quiver and bow over my shoulder. After temporarily donning the helmet, I dragged the cliff racer carcass out of the boat. The dockmaster eyed the blood mixed with river water in the bottom of the boat. "Sorry about that," I added. Ajira led the way to the butcher, having visited Suran on a previous occasion. "I'll split the money we get from the boat with you. You might as well get a little freelance pay from this trip."

"Oh," she bit her lip. "Ajira really didn't help much."

"Nonsense. You buttered up that high and mighty wizard. It would have gone differently if I'd tried to stand toe to toe with him. Besides, I was taught to keep partners paid. That way everyone's fat and happy."

"Ajira will take the money, but you should remember that she was the daughter of a priest. Ajira does not seek money for herself."

When we arrived at the butcher, Ajira paused, looking at a Bosmer woman as she left the shop. "Gildee, is that you?"

The wood elf looked up and gave Ajira an enthusiastic hug. "Ajira, what are you doing in Suran?"

Ajira gave a brief explanation of our escapades and introduced me. Gildee shook my hand, unperturbed by the dead animal on my shoulder. She wasn't tall. She had her blond curly hair tied back with a piece of rawhide. Her eyes were green and slanted like most elves. Her clothes weren't what I was used to seeing women wear. Roughspun pants and a short sleeved leather jerkin. She wore a quiver and a short recurve bow that looked much less cumbersome than mine. She introduced herself. "I'm Gildee, a hunter." Her manner was gleeful, as if she hadn't a care in the world.

I had to force myself to look serious and not just grin back. "I'm Han-lu, debt collector, sellsword, and earner of money in general."

Ajira hijacked the conversation, hugging Gildee with one arm. "Gildee and Ajira grew up together in Elsweyr. We came here together."

"Well," I interrupted. "Why don't you two go catch up? It'll be late by the time we sell the boat. We can sleep at an inn and get a fresh start in the morning."

"Oh thank you," Gildee gushed. "It's a pleasure to meet you." She spoke with a twinkle in her eye that was somewhere between friendly and flirtatious as she pulled Ajira away. The Khajiit looked as though she wanted to argue, but in Gildee's flurry, she never got the chance. They disappeared in the crowd of the street. "They don't make 'em like that in Cyrodiil," I mused.

After collecting my thoughts, I went about town, quickly conducting my business. I sold the cliff racer, the Orcish helmet, and the boat just as the respective shops were closing. After subtracting Ajira's cut, I'd made nearly six hundred septims.

When I finally found an inn serving food, I sat at the bar to eat. Gildee and Ajira were there, drinking, but I let them be alone. I was thinking about money and how much it would take to get me off this island. Five thousand would probably be plenty, but you never knew with smugglers. I counted out my coin. Counting the scam I'd run on the Nord in Seyda Neen, the money from the fighters guild job, and what I'd made today, minus supplies, I had a thousand with some change.

My thoughts continued on matters of how I could make more money and how I'd find a smuggler until I nodded off at the bar. Someone snapped their fingers in my ear to wake me.

"Hey sellsword, come dance with me." I awoke to the sound of musicians playing in a corner. The whole bar room was shaking as the drinkers all stomped to a lively tune. An inebriated Nord man had grabbed one of the barmaids and pulled her into the middle of the room to dance. Patrons had pulled tables away from the middle to give space to the dancers and now Ajira's friend Gildee was pulling on my arm, tugging me toward the center.

As soon as I realised what was happening, I resisted. "Woah, hold up. I don't want to dance."

She stopped pulling and put her hands on her hips. I looked at her not sure what to say when her eyes flashed a bright green. For one moment, I recognized the tingle of magic wash over me, but as soon as that moment was over, I couldn't have cared less what had happened. All my inhibitions melted away and I grinned stupidly as she dragged me away to the floor.

The dance she chose was not one I was familiar with, but I didn't seem to mind. I tried to copy the jig she danced as I watched her. Our feet were half stomping to the music and half dancing. Revelers all around us cheered and bellowed raucously and soon another pair joined the floor.

Gildee stared at me, a pretty grin on her face. She was obviously comfortable with this sort of thing. I tried to gather a logical thought, but all I could seem to do was acquiesce to her. My own jig was not nearly as graceful as hers and I didn't like being outdone. As an attempt to take the lead, I grabbed Gildee's hand and took her waist. I led us to a lively version of the cyrodilic ballroom dancing I'd been taught, adding the lively stomping. At first, I had trouble keeping pace with the music, but Gildee caught on to my ploy and began spinning, adding rhythm to the normally dull style.

I added the occasional swing to keep things interesting and Gildee followed my lead smoothly. She spun out to arm's length with only our fingers touching before spinning in, wrapping herself in my arms. I grabbed her other hand and spun her out to arm's length the other way, then pulled her close. She let go of my hands and pressed herself against me promiscuously. I leaned in close to her face, half expecting a kiss when she pulled my bow up and over my head. I hadn't noticed, but the long weapon had been interfering with her rhythm.

She took one of my hands and leaned back into a dip so she could lay the bow on a table next to Ajira who was stomping with the rest of the crowd. She caught my eye and raised a mug to me. I laughed as another Khajiit approached her and offered her a hand. Being the shy, quiet type, she didn't accept right away. As I spun around, Gildee also caught sight of Ajira's plight. Her face turned almost serious and she glanced between me and Ajira.

She seemed to come to a decision and her eyes flashed again. All at once, I was myself again. I tried to pull away, not understanding why I had willingly joined Gildee, but she tightened her grip on me. She whispered into my ear, "Come on, let yourself have a good time."

I broke away from her grip and stepped back off the floor. How long had I been dancing like an idiot? I touched my satchel and sword, making sure I still had all my things, but then I remembered the bow. Ajira had been holding it, but now she was dancing as though she hadn't a care in the world. I realized then, what had happened. Gildee had charmed me with a spell, but had switched the spell to Ajira and freed me. She stepped close again, trying to take my hand and start dancing again. I pulled away, scanning the room for my missing weapon.

A dark elf was walking low, around the edge of the room. I stared after him and caught sight of my bow in his hands as he neared the door. I abandoned the crazy Bosmer girl and pursued the thief out into the night.

"Stop," I yelled! When he realized he was being chased, he ran. The night was lit by a bright moon and I ran after him, yelling for a guard.

I followed, breathing hard from the dancing. He led me toward the outskirts of town to where a rope bridge spanned the Nabia river. I stopped as he rushed onto the planks and drew my sword. "Stop or I'll cut the bridge!" This stopped the thief in his tracks. He halted, panting on the bouncing bridge. "Come back here and give me the bow," I ordered.

Slowly, the elf turned and inched towards me. "I'm sorry muthsera. Don't hurt me." He held out the bow at arm's length to me. I considered taking the bow and cutting the bridge anyway, but that would cause problems to travelers. I sheathed my sword and reached out to grab the bow suddenly. I was able to pull him forward, off balance and threw a right hook in his jaw. The punch, connected and I dropped the bow so I could follow with a gut punch. He tried to retreat, but I caught him part way over the bridge and threw him over the side, into the river.

The thief landed with a splash and came up sputtering. He swam ashore twenty yards downriver and disappeared into the night. When I turned around, Gildee was picking up my dropped bow, shamefaced.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cause you trouble. I was just looking for a good time." I shook my head, my sides heaving and I fell against the ropes making up the railing. She approached me and offered the bow, which I took and set in my lap while I tried to catch my breath.

"You… you bewitched me."

She nodded. "You dark elves are so uptight. How else am I supposed to have a little fun?"

I just shook my head again. I wasn't angry with her, I was just out of breath. She leaned on the rail next to me, afraid I hadn't forgiven her. "I really didn't mean any harm by it."

"I don't mind. It was fun, but I still can't say I'm really comfortable with being bewitched. My Uncle Fargoth warned me about girls like you," I teased.

She smiled, happy that I'd forgiven her, but didn't miss a beat with her flirtatious response. "And what kind of girl might that be?"

I chuckled for a moment, remembering Fargoth's face as he said it. "The fun kind of course."

Her chuckles joined mine until we both fell quiet. I thought for a moment that I'd break the silence, but the sound of the river was so pretty and the moon shone so brightly on the tributaries to the south, I didn't mind the silence and neither did she as she joined me in gazing at the horizon.

After a few moments, Gildee took a strange bottle out of her bag and took a swig. A pungent smell wafted over to me, similar to gravy. "What's that," I asked?

"Oh, it's a favorite drink among my people. I doubt you'd like it."

"It smells like meat," I pushed.

She nodded. "It's fermented pork broth. My religion doesn't allow the eating of plants, so we make everything we eat from animal products."

I stared, halfway between disbelief and disgust at the drink. She mistook my stare as curiosity and offered me the bottle. "Oh, no thanks. I'm good." We fell silent again. My mind lingered on why she was here with me. Did she like me? I wasn't sure what to do if that was the case and the more I thought about it, the more uncomfortable I became. She didn't interrupt the silence this time, seeming completely content to enjoy the moment.

Finally, I thought of an excuse. "I wonder how Ajira's doing."

Gildee's eyes shot wide open. "Oh no. When I left, the charm spell would have broken." She shot bolt upright and headed for the tavern again to make amends with her abandoned friend. However, when we arrived, the musicians were still playing, the music had turned slow, and Ajira was still swaying with the bigger Khajiit who'd asked her to dance.

Seeing that there was no emergency, I slipped away to the owner and rented a room for the night. It was well past time to lay on a soft mattress.


	23. Chapter 23 Dren's Retainers

_Hello readers, this is arbiterssword. I want to give a_ _shout out_ _to shadows123456 for being the first to post a review. To anyone following this story, I'm happy to chat via PM messages, especially late at night. I work the night shift and holy cow I get bored. Happy to take comments, feedback, and questions as long as I don't have to explain where babies come from._

Ajira was a little hungover the next day, but she was excited too. On our return trip, we would follow a path between Lake Amaya and the mountain range that marked the edge of the ashlands. Many exotic plants grew along the shores of lake Amaya and Ajira needed to gather some of them for research.

I, on the other hand, was sure it would be a boring day of walking. Not that I minded. It could be nice to have a break from ash storms, cliff racers, and giant Orcs. There just wasn't any money to be made on a boring day.

We started late, having no reason to get up particularly early. Gildee was long gone. Ajira said she'd taken her canoe out to hunt again, which was fine by me. That elf made me uneasy. I didn't ask Ajira about what happened with her dancing partner last night and she didn't ask about Gildee. That was fine by me.

The sky was cloudy. Beyond the rope bridge in Suran, the land was covered in low rolling hills and separated by many rivers and lakes. Ajira explained that there were many islands on the south coast and they were so close together that a great network of bridges had been built to connect them. Vivec, Vvardenfell's largest city lay at the southern tip of these islands with another city, Ebonheart, not far west of it.

The difference that a few miles had made in climate and plant and animal life amazed me. After the drab plantless ashlands, I welcomed the tall grass, the giant mushrooms, and the occasional trees. We topped one ridge and I stopped in my tracks as a creature four times as large as a horse floated across the path in front of us. It had a chitinous shell and six tentacles hanging down, just brushing the ground beneath it. There were nearly a dozen of them further ahead, although I noticed that some were smaller, lacked shells, and had only four tentacles.

"What are those," I asked, pointing at the magnificent creature. It let out a long low moan, gliding toward lake Amaya.

Ajira watched the creature, just as entranced as I was. "That is a netch. Ajira has heard that they float with gases trapped inside their bodies. Some say it's a magic spell though."

I looked closer and saw that the netches underbelly was bright blue and its surface seemed to ripple like tissue paper in the breeze. "Is it dangerous," I asked?

"Not if you leave them be. Come." Ajira led the way. We walked around the animals if they got in our way, careful not to touch the tentacles.

We passed two farms along the northern edge of lake Amaya and I could see more across the lake. Workers eyed us curiously as we passed. Looking at their wrists, I could see most of them wore magic draining bracers, marking them as slaves. Ajira always placed herself with me between her and the plantations. One Dunmer man who had been standing in a field with a coiled bullwhip spotted us and moved into the road blocking our path.

We stopped just out of range of the whip. "Show me your wrists Khajiit," he growled!

Ajira quickly pulled up the sleeves on her mage robes, showing that she wasn't wearing any bracers. "Ajira is not a slave. She is a mage from Elsweyr."

The Dunmer pointed the coiled whip at me. "What's your business with this Khajiit?"

Ajira looked to me, eyes afraid and ears plastered to her head. I shrugged my bow off my shoulder and into my hand, anger rising. "I don't believe I have to explain anything to the likes of you. Now are you going to let us pass, or am I going to have to put an arrow in your chest?"

The slave master scowled at us, but conceded to my threat. He moved to return to his field where a handful of Khajiit and Argonian workers harvested crops. He flicked his whip in the air, making a loud crack.

I laughed and turned to Ajira, speaking loudly enough for all to hear. "I guess when you torment half starved slaves all day, you start thinking you're pretty big and bad. Bet he wouldn't last a day in the ashlands."

Some of the slaves glanced up and grinned at my gibe at their overlord, but another angry crack of the whip and they were back to work. When we were out of earshot, Ajira huffed, "Ajira hates those places. Ajira is afraid she will be kidnapped and sold to one of these farmers before she can finish her research. And even after that, there is no leaving Vvardenfell because of the quarantine."

I nodded and didn't respond. I knew what she was thinking. I'd told her my plan to find a smuggler when we'd first met. I could tell what she was going to say before she said it.

"Han-lu. When you return to Cyrodiil, will you help Ajira get on the boat too?"

I sighed. "You'll need money. If you can save around five thousand septims, I'll see what I can do."

Ajira nodded, looking down at the ground in concentration. She was quiet, making calculations for the next few miles. We made occasional stops for Ajira to clip a few leaves from a plant or petals from a flower or leaf, or to dig up a bulb. We made it to the western edge of the lake without any other occurrence of note, but when our path diverged, one leading west to Balmora and one leading south to a town called Pelagiad, I saw two Dunmer men watering horses by the side of the lake and arguing over a map.

I hadn't known Vvardenfell had any horses, so I was tempted to go speak with them. One of them spotted me and they both mounted, trotting towards us. I discreetly drew an arrow and knocked it to my bow before turning to face them. They stopped a respectful distance from us. They each wore light leather armor and a sword on their backs. A closer look showed their swords to be obsidian black with red veins running through the metal. I realised that these were extremely rare daedric weapons. They were expensive because they were forged in Oblivion. Mortals only got them when Dremora came to this world and were killed leaving them behind.

"Hail strangers," I greeted. "What can I do for you?"

One of them wore a mohawk and the other was clean shaven. The one with the mohawk introduced them. "I'm Llaro Llethri and this is my brother Gathal Llethri. We're knights and retainers of Duke Orvas Dren and we're searching for an escaped Argonian slave. You wouldn't have happened to have seen her, have you?"

I shook my head. "I'm afraid not."

Llaro nodded. "Oh well, our chances of finding her are slim to none. She escaped into the river near our master's plantation. The way Argonians swim, she could be to the eastern coast by days end."

Llaro's brother Gathal gestured at Ajira. "We don't mean to be impolite, but could your friend show us her wrists? There's nothing more suspicious in plantation country than a Khajiit or Argonian in long sleeves." I gritted my teeth, but Ajira was quick to comply. If I were her, I thought, I'd say it was none of their concern.

However, Ajira's cooperation set their minds at ease. "Where are you headed?"

"Balmora."

Llaro leaned over to his brother. "You know, maybe we should head to Balmora too. We can stop by the council club, have a drink, ride home, and Orvas would be none the wiser. We're not going to catch that slave anyway."

His brother pursed his lips and nodded his agreement. Llaro turned back to me. "You two care for a ride?"

"Sure," I answered without consulting Ajira. She backtracked.

"Uh, Ajira has never ridden a horse before."

Gathal shot his brother an amused look. He offered Ajira a hand as I climbed on the back of Llaro's grey. Reluctantly, she accepted and we were soon riding double back to Balmora. I'd mostly taken the opportunity so I could ask about the horses, but the ride was welcome after my travels.

"I didn't know there were any horses in Morrowind."

Llaro replied, facing forward. "My lord had four brought here by boat years ago, before the quarantine. Then, once the quarantine was instituted, he and one human noble from Cyrodiil were the only ones with breeding stock available. There are fewer than thirty horses on all the island of Vvardenfell and each one is worth a fortune. Orvas made chests full of gold from the husbandry business."

I was impressed. "That was very fortunate for him."

"Fortunate for us too," Gathal commented. "We don't have to ride those nasty guar."

"What's a guar," I asked?

"An ugly, big headed, two legged, lizard creature local to Vvardenfell," Llaro answered. "The Dunmer traditionally use them as mounts and pack animals. Admittedly, they're much better adjusted to the ashland region, but a horse is faster and easier to ride."

We entered an opening in the short mountains ahead and we found ourselves in a foyoda. Llaro and Gathal led the horses across the valley, obviously familiar with the route. To the north, I spotted the great Dwemer bridge Ajira and I had passed two days prior. A little ways up the path and we were passing fort Moonmoth. During the last few minutes of our ride, Llaro asked me about myself. I explained that I was from Cyrodiil and who I was working for. Llaro listened intently, seeming intrigued. I lied when he asked why I'd come and said I just needed a change of pace.

I was relieved to arrive and not have to answer any more questions. The sky had become cloudy and a light drizzle had begun, so our goodbyes were short. Ajira and I left the two brothers to care for their horses and headed straight for the mages guild. It was mid afternoon. We entered the guildhall looking for Ranis. I didn't see her right away when we entered the basement, but in the blink of an eye, she appeared in an empty chair.

"Oh good, you've returned. Please, take a seat." We did so without asking why she'd just been invisible. "Tell me you have good news." I placed Manwe's payment and Llarer's contract, along with his letter, on the table. Ranis took the contract and viewed the sealed letter with interest before storing them in her robe pockets for later review. "Very good indeed. I assume you collected the ingredients you needed during your trip," she said, turning her red eyes on Ajira.

"That and more," Ajira replied curtly.

I chimed in, remembering I'd promised to talk Ajira up. "She was actually quite helpful in convincing Llarer to join. I think he might've had me killed if she hadn't taken charge."

"Very well. Thank you, Han-lu for escorting my student on this journey. I haven't got any other jobs at the moment, but check in often. You never know what might come up."

She hurriedly paid Ajira and I before excusing herself. I shrugged to Ajira with an 'I tried' look before standing to leave. She stood and walked me to the exit. "What will you do now Han lu?"

"I've got a couple other sources to check for work. You should do the same," I suggested, reminding her that she needed money if she was going to leave the island with me.

"Don't worry about Ajira. There is much work for an alchemist in this guildhall. Ajira will earn the money soon."

"Good. I'll check in every so often." Ajira closed the door behind me.


	24. Chapter 24 A Blade's Mission

_Authors note. Thank you to the two anonymous users who commented on my story. Thanks especially for pointing out a continuity error in chapter 23. As of this time I've already edited it to make it more consistent with previous chapters. You guys are a part of my writing team and I need as much input as you're willing to give._

The fighters guild hall was unusually quiet. The only person I found was Hasphat Antabolis who was laying on his bunk with an old leather bound book. The middle aged Imperial removed a pair of reading spectacles at my knock on the door frame.

"Hey, where's everyone at?"

"They're all out and about. Eyedis sent Wayn, Balyn, and Fascile to take care of some poachers, Flaenia said she had some business in Caldera, and Eyedis is at a meeting with some local Hlaalu nobles. She was rather excited about it. I'll bet she makes a contact or two that'll feed us some steady work."

I leaned on the door jam with a smirk. "Do you always know where everyone is?"

He chuckled. "I ought to. I'm the guild record keeper and historian. Don't think I'm just a soft old scholar though. I still take assignments."

"Any idea when Eyedis will be back?"

"Can't be sure. She's been gone for two hours. Who knows how long negotiations could take?"

"Alright then. I'll probably check back in after an hour or so."

The Imperial waved me off, putting his spectacles back on and I went back out into the rain. I meandered across town, getting soaked, but was reluctant to go to my other source of work. I wondered if Caius Cosades was wondering where I was. I found myself down the street from his house and staring at the door. Reluctantly, I shuffled through the rain and knocked. There was no answer. I knocked again, but there was no sign that anyone was home.

"Looking for me?" I jumped in surprise when Caius showed up behind me with a large burlap sack of groceries. He wore a very Cyrodilic style hooded cloak that seemed waterproof. "Be a good lad and help me with the lock would you? The keys are on my belt."

I took the key ring from his belt and fumbled with the cold wet iron, inserting the key Caius chose into the heavy lock. I welcomed the warm space inside, my nose burning slightly at the smell of the fire in the coal stove. Caius went about sorting his food. I made sure to lock the door behind me. "The Empire must be in tip top shape if its master spies have time to browse the markets," I teased.

"Well, I don't know what rumors you've heard about the Emperor's Blades, but I assure you, I have to eat just like you. Not that I can blame you for your ignorance, we haven't had time to chat or even have a proper introduction. I worried a bit when you disappeared into the ashlands, but I was reassured when you were reported seen in Suran. Once I heard you were back in Balmora I thought, _Wouldn't it be nice if I had something to offer the fellow when he stopped by?_ So yes, I went grocery shopping."

I got the feeling Caius was making a show of how widespread his network was.. "How did you know all that?"

"Poor Dunmer. You're all so concentrated on keeping secrets that you don't give much thought on how to acquire them. That's why the Empire's stood so long in my opinion. It's not the strength of our armies, nor the vibrancy of our economy. It is our ability to speak and listen."

I rolled my eyes. "Well I can understand why you'd think I'm interested in politics by the fact that I'm a political assassin, but I truly don't care about the Empire."

Caius chuckled pleasantly as he bustled around his small home. "Yes yes, of course. You're a family man. You commit crimes to earn money to take care of your family." He turned his back on me to prepare a meal. He set a tea pot on an already lit coal stove to boil and started chopping vegetables. "What motivates you now that you're alone?"

My eyes bored into his back. My mind raced again. "What are you getting at?"

He glanced at me when I didn't answer. He paused what he was doing, face frozen in thought before the light of realization shown in his eyes. "Of course, we haven't gotten your mother yet. Not that I know of. If I were to venture an informed guess, you're probably planning on smuggling your way to the mainland and finding her, am I right?"

The hairs on the back of my neck stood up and my hand fell to my sword. "So that was the Emperor's plan all along? Use me to find my mother."

Caius shook his head. "If that was the case, I wouldn't have told you about it, would I? Go ahead and try to leave if you like. I have great reason to believe you will fail to leave Vvardenfell. In the meantime, I'll pay you to gather information from certain informants I've contacted and tracked down. That'll put you closer to your goal won't it. I know what smugglers charge."

I scratched my head and fell into a cushioned, high backed chair. My heart sank at the thought that my only plan was revealed and yet I was confused that he wasn't going to try stopping me. "I knew it was a mistake to come here this evening."

Caius again chuckled pleasantly and set a plate on the coffee table in front of me. It had cold cuts of salt pork and a more attractive arrangement of vegetables than I'd seen since the Emperor's birthday party. All my father's teachings urged me to ignore the food. Ignore the peace offering. Stare your enemy in the eye, but I couldn't meet Caius' gaze. He was the better saboteur, no question. He was a spider and I was caught in his web.

I slowly accepted the plate and picked at the food. "This is better than mudcrab and ash yam," I commented sullenly.

Caius let the meaningless comment hang in the air a moment before speaking. "Han-lu, you don't have to hate me. I'm not the Emperor, I'm not a judge, and I'm definitely not your enemy. This land is in turmoil whether you care or not, and it is my job to take care of it. I made that clear to the Emperor when I took this position. I love Vvardenfell. That is what motivates me. Not punishing a crime that occurred a nation away."

I looked across the table and met the old man's gaze. "Look Han-lu, if it's still family that motivates you, I'll help you. I get copies of reports from all over the Empire. If any inkling of news about your mother comes up, I'll inform you, but you have to work for me."

After a moment of hesitation, I nodded. "Alright. What do you need done?"

Caius laid his plate aside. "I'm gathering information on two secret cults here in Vvardenfell. The Nerevarine Cult and the Sixth house cult. I'm identifying sources that may have information about one or both. The first informant is a local named Hasphat Antabolis."

"Oh, I know him from the fighters guild."

"Perfect. He should have some information for me, but he needs to trade favors. You'll have to help him with something. Return to me when you have the information."

I took that as an excusal, and eagerly accepted the chance to leave.

"One more thing," he said before I closed the door. "Hasphat is quite the scholar when it comes to Morrowind's history. It might not be a bad thing for you to brush up on, considering you live here now."

I finally shut the heavy door and breathed a sigh of relief. I could hear the lock turn behind me


	25. Chapter 25 Arkngthand

Hasphat was right where I'd left him, still in his bunk with his book. "Eyedis still isn't back," he said without looking up from the page. "Although the poacher crew is."

I removed the unwieldy bow from my shoulder to sit down on the bunk across from him. "Actually, I need to talk to you. I hear you may have information on the Sixth House and Nerevarine cults."

He dropped his book on his stomach and turned to look at me. "Are you Caius' man?" I nodded. "And you're going to do me a favor in exchange for the information, correct?" I nodded again. Hasphat jumped out of bed and went to his footlocker. "I need help exploring a Dwemer ruin and searching for a small artifact. I'd do it myself, but the ruin is being looted by, well looters. I need backup to take them on."

"Are we leaving now?"

He nodded emphatically. "The sooner the better. I'd have hired Wayn to come with me, but I'm a bit short of gold right now. I'm just bad at managing my money. Trading favors works much better for me." He put on a shirt of chainmail, arm bracers, and a boiled leather helmet. He belted on a short wakizashi and pulled a crossbow out of the chest along with a belt quiver full of quarrels.

"Is this ruin close by," I started to worry?"

"Actually it's just past fort Moonmoth. If we can find the artifact quickly, We'll be back before midnight."

"It's a good thing I slept in this morning then."

On our way out, we passed Wayn, who was talking to Balyn over a couple tankards. "Hey newbie," he called. "Welcome back."

Hasphat waved him off. "We've got to go Wayn. Tell Eyedis we ought to be back before morning."

"You got it. Fight smart." I rushed after Hasphat. He jogged steadily until we were out of the city and my breathing became ragged. My body was recovering well from the coma, but my heart couldn't keep pace yet. Eventually, I had to ask Hasphat to slow down. We walked toward fort Moonmoth and the Ashlands where Ajira and I had just been.

"Tell me Han-lu, what kind of fighting experience do you have? There might be quite a few enemies to face."

Between breaths I replied, "I have lots of experience, it's my health that will slow me down. I was in a coma for some months and it did terrible things to my endurance and magic abilities. If you want to face these people head on, I can do that, but I'll be much more useful if we can fight stealthily."

He nodded his approval. "Between your bow and my crossbow, we shouldn't have any problems. These are thieves and smugglers, not warriors."

We passed fort Moonmoth and crossed the great Dwemer bridge. Just beyond it, we turned south up a hill. As we crested a rise, I realized that what I thought were strangely shaped mountain peaks in the night sky were actually spires on a great metal building. "Sweet Mephala, I've never seen anything like it."

Hasphat set the stirrup of his crossbow in the dirt and cocked it, placing a quarrel in front of the taut string. He then went to one of many pipes sticking out of the ground and felt along its length until he found a crank. By operating the crank, he was able to open a gate covering a great circular door.

"Now listen closely Han-lu. I've never been past this point, but from other ruins I've explored, I can tell you they are dangerous. The smugglers are simple, but there may be some leftover Dwemer constructs. These are animated fighting machines and they are very difficult to kill. My crossbow is an ancient relic of the Dwarves and I have bolts that are hard enough to pierce their armor, but I doubt your arrows or sword will. If you see any constructs, let me handle them." I nodded and he silenced me with a finger to his lips.

He led the way, pushing the half circle door open with his shoulder and sweeping his crossbow across the opening before stepping inside. The space inside was great and cavernous. Most of the walls and ceiling were solid stone with all other decorations being made of the same metal as the outside. Every sound echoed through the empty space and sent shivers down my spine. I got an urgent feeling to run as though there were leftovers from the feelings of an ancient civilization and they didn't want me here, but I gritted my teeth and knocked an arrow.

 _It's just nerves,_ I told myself. Stone steps jutted from the wall and led downward from the small landing where we stood into a large central cavern. Hasphat and I moved as quietly as we could, but his chainmail inevitably made a small sound which carried unnaturally far in the bare stone and metal room. I stopped when I heard a groan from below. Peeking over the steps, I saw a dark elf moving loot from a pile on the main floor of the room and packing it into crates. I glanced at Hasphat and he signalled me to shoot.

I drew back and the quality steel of the bow made no noise. The weight of the draw was almost too much and it hurt where it dug into my three drawing fingers. I sighted down the shaft figuring that at this distance and angle, there would be little to no drop. The arrow loosed, the twang of the string reverberated through the cavern and my shot went low. The arrow pierced the Dunmers throat instead of the skull and went all the way through to clatter against the floor. The Dunmer fell gurgling and I just knew the sound of it could be heard through the rest of the caverns.

Hasphat cringed behind me, but said nothing. He simply pressed himself back into the shadows and continued down the stairs. I scanned the cavern. There was a set of doors level with the floor and a stone ramp leading up to the underground equivalent of a patio where I could see tables and chairs overlooking the rest of the cavern.

"Han-lu," Hasphat whispered. "Cover the tunnels. I'll check these crates."

I picked up the bloody arrow from next to the Dunmer who's writhing slowly grew still and nocked it again. One of the doors was open revealing a dark tunnel. The only light in this room came from a couple of torches. My breathing was labored with no apparent reason. The metal creaks and clacks from deeper in the ruin still gave me shivers. I squinted into the darkness of the tunnel as though a specter might appear at any time. Sweat gathered in my brow and I had to shake myself because of a sudden chill.

Hasphat said nothing behind me. I strained my ears and heard footsteps coming from the tunnel. Hasphat was by my side in a second, crossbow drawn and aimed. A rude voice called out. "Hey grey skin, I'm coming up. Don't piss yourself this time."

A human appeared carrying a barrel which blocked his view, but also prevented my shooting him. I stepped lightly to the side as he proceeded with the heavy load. By the time he saw me, my arrow had already stuck in his skull. The body and barrel both tumbled the the ground with a resounding crash. It seemed an eternity before the echoes faded completely, only leaving the creaking from the deep.

"Forget this sneaking around in here," I said half yelling. Hasphat desperately put a finger to his lips, but I refused. "No, if we're clearing this place we're clearing the whole place, then you can look for your blasted artifact and I can leave." I went to the opening of the tunnel and yelled. "Do you hear that? We're coming to kill you!"

My words reverberated a thousand times as I proceeded down the tunnel with Hasphat nervously following. My bow led the way, arrow nocked but only partially drawn. The hallways were lit by strange tubes built into the wall that glowed yellow. The strange bronze colored metal was the dominating building material. Each time we came to a set of the large circular doors, we kicked them in finding ancient bedrooms, a water closet, and what looked like a kitchen, but no smugglers.

Each time we passed a barrel or crate, Hasphat would stop to check it despite what I'd said before. As I calmed a little bit, I didn't blame him. I wouldn't want to be left alone in this place either.

We followed stairways downward and came to another fairly large room. There was a set of doors on the other side of the room, a second stairway leading upwards behind me and an open hole in the floor where the great creaking emanated from. Crates, barrels, and room furnishings littered the room to either side like this place had been used for storage. After checking the doors and finding them tightly locked, I creeped to the edge of the hole and peered in. The floor was ten feet down, but I couldn't see much else about the room.

A scream from behind me tore my attention away as a Dunmer woman leaped from the cover of a dusty bookshelf and tackled me with a dagger lunging for my torso. I dropped my bow and grabbed her wrist as we fell to the floor. I twisted, lifting with one leg to throw her over me and into the hole, but she grabbed my shirt and dragged me in with her. I flailed in the air as I was dragged, my back scraping painfully on the metal edge of the floor and hit the ground with a thud. A stabbing pain appeared near my left armpit and I realized I'd fallen on the woman's dagger.

I stood with a grunt and pulled the dagger out, pressing my left hand against the bleeding wound. The Dunmer stood and circled me. "You killed my Duma-thil. You killed him! Rot in Oblivion!" She tried to tackle me without a weapon, but Hasphat's crossbow cut her down. The bolt entered her at the shoulder and exited near her waist before sticking solidly into the metal floor and vibrating with a humming sound.

I relaxed as she gasped and bled on the ground and took the time to close my wound, emptying my magic in one go. The Dunmer's breaths were sharp and quick, obviously causing great pain.

"Hasphat, will you find me a rope or something?"

He disappeared to search the room above. I scanned the room I was in. There were two hallways leading downward and one staircase that I could only assume led to the locked doors above. I bit my lip and remembered the lockpick I had. I kept it in my sock for just such an occasion as this. I climbed the stairs and found that the door did indeed have a lock comparable to today's models.

I stuck the pick in and used the dying woman's dagger as a torque wrench. I gritted my teeth as I felt for the tumblers inside. "It's been way too long," I murmured to myself. A scream from below made me jump, breaking the pick in the lock. "Curse it all, I just want to get out of here."

The dying woman continued to scream violently, so I descended to see what the commotion was. She was dragging herself toward the stairs, trailing blood while a strange clicking sound followed her. In the dim light, I saw what I could only assume to be one of the Dwemer Automatons following her. It was obviously designed like a spider with eight metal legs.

I watched as it caught up with the woman and brutally stabbed her over and over with its front legs until she lay still. Then it clacked after me showing no hesitation. "Hasphat?" I yelled, leaping over the thing, not wanting to be cornered in the stairwell.

He appeared at the edge with his crossbow and put a bolt through the spider. I looked up at him. "Get me out of here!"

"I'll push one of the bookshelves down." He disappeared and I heard squealing as he moved the metal furnishing. "Hang on a sec, it's... really heavy."

His echoes were drowned out by the sound of something rolling up one of the tunnels to meet me. I drew my sword. "Hasphat!"

"I'm going… as fast.. as I can," he yelled between grunts!

A large metal ball rolled smoothly up to me and unfolded into a rough image of a metal man with a rolling ball in place of legs. A long sword extended from it's hand and it drew back to strike. I raised my sword to block the clumsy blow, but the strength behind it was enormous and forced me to retreat. I circled the edge of the room backwards avoiding strike after strike.

"Now Antabolis!" My scream was tinged with fear.

"Run," was all the response I got.

I turned on my heel and dashed for one of the tunnels, heart once again pounding. The stairs didn't slow the automaton down. It just curled its torso back into a ball and bounced to the bottom. I kept running, hoping for a larger space where I might be able to circle back. I turned a corner to find another automaton blocking the entrance to another room. This one stood taller than an orc warrior and twice as thick. One of its arms was a club and one was a hammer. Behind me, I heard the sphere unfold and extend its sword. There was no turning back.

I charged the larger one as it raised its hammer and dove past its side before it could bring the hammer down on me. Back up the tunnel, I heard a crash from the bookshelf finally tumbling into the hole. I had to get around these automatons and circle back, but upon entering the room, I noticed the heat and red light. There was a bridge built across this room because there was no floor. Magma lie far below ebbing and filling the deep circular room. Above me, great metal turbines spun from the rising heat, but I didn't understand their purpose. The only thing on my mind was the first section of the bridge which had collapsed and undoubtedly fallen in the lava pit long ago.

Checking behind me, I saw the two automatons coming after me, the smaller one stuck behind the bigger slower one. With no other choice, I backed up, ran at the edge, and jumped the five foot gap. I caught the edge with my hands and climbed until my shoulders were even with the bridge. To my horror, a spider automaton approached me from the other side. Before I could pull myself up, it reared to strike. I caught one of its bladed legs and dragged it over the edge into the lava. The leg was just a sharpened blade and cut deep into my fingers. As it sailed over me, one of its legs stabbed me shallowly in the back.

I screamed as I pulled myself up and tried to heal my fingers a little before proceeding with what little magic I'd recovered. Sitting on the edge of the bridge, I saw that the hulking automaton before me had stopped at the edge, but the one behind it kept pushing forward and slowly tipped the hulk over. It tumbled toward the lava, but it raised its hammer arm, striking the bridge next to me as it fell. I screamed again as two of the bridges support chains broke and the corrugated bridge flooring hung like a ladder from the two remaining chains. I only just managed to grab the bridge. My stomach turned at the sudden feeling of freefall until the piece of catwalk hung vertical. I supported my entire weight on the tips of my fingers, reopening the cuts and the stab wound from the Dunmer's dagger.

Exhausted, it took everything I had to climb back up to the top. My emaciated arms began to shake as I pushed them to their physical limits. My sliced fingers made each hand hold slick with blood. I permitted myself a loud groan of frustration As I heaved my body up the panel. I hauled myself onto the section of undamaged catwalk and allowed myself a moment to rest with my torso back on a solid part of the bridge. After shimmying the rest of the way up I stood on the other side of the room and looked back, realizing I couldn't double back. Then Hasphat yelled.

"Han-lu, come on! You can make it!" The sound wasn't coming from the way I came, it was coming from my tunnel. I realized that it must circle back to the room Hasphat was in. The automaton seemed to read my mind and turned around to corner me back in the room I'd fallen into.

I sprinted, clutching at my bleeding wounds. I sprinted up the hall and up the stairs until I was right below Hasphat. The bookshelf had fallen on its front so I squatted and tipped the thing up. It weighed a ton, but I couldn't let that stop me. This time, the stairs were slowing down the automaton. It somehow managed to roll up one stair at a time. I heaved and tipped the ridiculous piece of furniture up on its legs. Hasphat was on his belly, reaching down to help me up. I climbed to the top of the bookshelf just as the automaton crested the stairs. In a fury, I kicked the bookshelf over. It slowly tilted, and fell on top of the automaton, the heavy shelves crushing it in several places. I laughed, hanging onto the floor of the room above. Hasphat hauled me up by my blood soaked shirt and dragged me to the corner of the room.

"Are you alright Han-lu?"

I chuckled humorlessly. "Oh yeah, just peachy." Hasphat tended to my wounds and I noticed a dead Nord on the floor. "Had a little trouble of your own, did you?"

"That's why it took so long to push the shelf down to you. Here," he pushed a small bottle into my hands and I drank it without question. He tore my shirt to pieces to staunch the bleeding. The potion he gave me quickened the scabbing process and I was soon on my feet again, granted with much less blood than before. "We should get out of here," Hasphat suggested.

I shook my head, gritting my teeth from the pain. "We can keep searching up here. If what you're looking for is down there, then it can wait until I'm back in shape. No looters are getting past those things. I'll heal myself little by little as we go along."

"No, I've done enough damage today. We need to get you back to Balmora," Hasphat insisted.

"I didn't go through all this to go back empty handed. Find whatever you're looking for and let's get out of here for good," I insisted. As he searched the crates, I considered knocking him out, tying him up, and just interrogating him for the info I needed, but I didn't think Caius would like that. I watched the tunnels with Hasphats crossbow, unable to use my own bow because of my injuries.

He searched the whole room, gathering a pile of interesting items and even a couple weapons, but not the thing he was looking for. I covered him as we searched the place, but it seemed that the smugglers were either all dead or were smart enough to have left. The automatons seemed confined to the lower area. We searched for an hour or more, checking everything the smugglers left behind until we found ourselves in the main cavern again.

"Do you think they took it," I asked?

Hasphat glanced around the room looking as though he was on the verge of giving up until his eyes landed on the balcony area. "Let's check up there. If I can't find it, we'll call it quits."

We climbed the ramp. The area looked like a little diner with tables and chairs. A single set of doors led back to what I assumed was a kitchen. I sat in one of the chairs to relax and ended up nodding off. Hasphat shook me awake.

"Hey, Han-lu, I found it." I opened my eyes to find him holding a small box made up of lots of little parts.

"What is it?" I asked.

"A puzzle. I'm hoping it will give me more information on the history of the Dwemer."

I shook my head. "Whatever, let's get out of here."

I stole one of the torches and we made our way back to the Fighters guild. I didn't broach the subject of the information he owed me. That could wait till morning.


	26. Chapter 26 Secret Cults

_Shout outs to msyendor for following my story and GalacticHalfling for following and for your review. In response to the review, I'd like to say that I've enjoyed making the characters my own. Many of the characters from the game will play roles larger than you'll remember in the game and of course, I have to add some characters of my own to give the story flavor. It's really fun to decide on how a character's personality will be. Some are noble, some are sensual, and some are just flat out evil dirt bags. I'm trying not to make any character seem shallow or single minded, giving them multiple facets that shape their reactions to a situation. Sometimes I worry that these early chapters are a little bland, because I wrote the original rough drafts long ago. Later on in the story, I've been able to explore different characters more, in part by changing the narration to characters other than Han lu and I hope you enjoy the transition as much as I have. To those of you who have patiently waited for more chapters, I want to assure you that this story isn't stopping unless I finish or die. On the rough draft, I just finished chapter 67. I go through creative spurts of writing lots of chapters in a handful of days and then getting bored and playing video games with my spare time. I try to release chapters slowly on purpose because I am adamant about editing. The story that inspired me to write this was The Legend of Zaden, here on fanfiction. It's an excellent story and is complete, which is rare for a story like this, but I look back on the editing and it makes me want to present my work well._

 _Just a reminder that all followers and reviews are appreciated and will get a shout out. I'm happy to respond to a meaningful review and would welcome anyone with questions, comments, or what have you to message me. Getting feedback really motivates me to do a writing binge._

The Odai river was low. You could tell by the smell. I tried to ignore it, however, as I sat across the table from Hasphat at Wayn's favorite outdoor cafe. It was near lunchtime, but I'd forgone eating there in favor of somewhere more tasteful and less odorous. Hasphat had given me a couple sheaves of paper and I scanned them over. He didn't seem to be bothered by the smell.

"The Empire, or rather, the Emperor doesn't seem to understand cultures different than his own. He hears of trouble in the far reaches of his Empire and sends his heroes, his legion, his guilds out to solve problems and civilize situations. He does so without consideration of politics, culture gaps, or general feelings toward the Empire."

I listened politely, sipping some local beverage I'd never heard of that was nearly pungent enough to drive away the scent of the river. I was so tired. Not from sleep deprivation, but from the blood loss yesterday. Still, I had work to do. Hasphat continued and I listened as best I could.

"So now, Caius sends you to me, hoping you can be the one to help him solve Morrowind's ails. You will need to learn of Morrowind's history to survive its present. For example, what do you know of the tribunal temple?"

I concentrated, thinking back to when I'd first met Ajira. "They worship three gods. They punish necromancy."

"What do you know about the gods," he asked, keeping me on the track he wanted.

"Nothing really." I might have been able to dredge up a few more details had I been better rested.

Hasphat sighed. "It's important for you to learn. These things have everything to do with the Sixth house and Nerevarine cults. Nerevar was an ancient hero of the Dunmer's ancestors. The short answer to your question is that the Nerevarine cult believes he will be reborn into this nation, that he will drive out all outlanders from Morrowind, and restore the ancient Dark elf nation to its pre imperial state."

I nodded in understanding. "I can already tell why Caius would want to know about them."

"So do I, although, the cult is small and really presents no threat to the Empire, especially since the Tribunal Temple ostracizes its members. Nerevar is a saint of the temple, but the tribunal priests deny the prophecy that he will be reincarnated. There is another informant who might have more information on Nerevar at the mages guild. An Orc named Sharn gra-Muzgob has done extensive studies on local faiths and religions."

I made a note of the name. "So what about the sixth house cult?" The sooner I got my information, the sooner I could rest and relax.

"Once again, you need some background to have a frame of reference. There are currently five Great houses ruling Morrowind. House Dagoth was the sixth house and was lost thousands of years ago. It seems that in recent years, small pockets of worship have popped up across Vvardenfell idolizing the last leader of house Dagoth. Their doctrine states that the tribunal are false gods who have betrayed Morrowind to the Empire and it states that Dagoth Ur, their ancient leader will lead them in overthrowing the other great houses and driving the Empire out, restoring the ancient Dunmer nation."

"That sounds a little silly, doesn't it," I asked tiredly with a sigh? "All these ancient heroes rising back up from the grave."

Hasphat bit his lip. "Well, maybe with Nerevar, yes. He was supposedly killed, but the temple claims that Dagoth Ur is still alive, under the volcano at the center of the island." I gave him a withering look. He held up his hands in a placating gesture. "I know, I know how it sounds, but hear me out. The Tribunal temples gods are confirmed to still be alive. Vivec himself lives in a temple at the southern tip of Vvardenfell and travels the land on occasion. If a demigod from thousands of years ago can still be alive, why not a devil?"

"So what you're saying," I concluded, "Is that you actually believe all of this. You don't think these cults are just crazy people who hit the skooma pipes a little too hard."

Hasphat settled into his seat, leveling his gaze at me. "The more you learn about this stuff from working with Caius, the more believable it will become. Have you seen the Ghostfence yet?"

I shook my head. "I think I heard someone mention it before."

"Well, when you see it, you'll know that there are more powerful forces at play than priestcraft and zealotry. In the meantime, I think you have the information you need from me. Just keep in mind that the temple discourages discussion of these cults. So if you see any Ordinators, you keep your mouth shut."

I agreed and gladly left him and the stink of the river behind. I needed to report to Caius and turn in for the day. I needed some time to heal.


	27. Chapter 27 Old Habits

_Author's response to review by GalacticHalfling. When deciding how the people of Morrowind think about these legends and prophecies, I considered it to be really important to establish points of view. After all, this is the setup for the major plot point of the game and there will be many consequences in a detailed story that the game got to skip over because it's a game. As to why Han lu knows so little about his parents homeland, yes there are reasons he wasn't taught much about the lands and culture. They will become clearer once I publish the parts where his parents are given backstory._

It had been two days since I'd reported to Caius. When I told him that Hasphat mentioned another source of information, an Orc in the mages guild, he'd wanted me to contact her right away. I'd put it off because of my injuries from the Dwemer ruin, saying I needed time to heal. In reality, I wasn't excited to risk life and limb again for the Empire. By now, I had had enough time to heal my injuries through my own restoration magic, but I kept telling myself I needed more time to replace the blood I'd lost.

I was a short walk north from Balmora. It was early in the morning and I'd picked a giant mushroom to practice my marksmanship on. The soft trunk made a good target and didn't damage my arrows on impact. The morning was chilly with dew on the grass. The sun was filtered by low hanging clouds that threatened rain.

My thoughts were scattered as I aimed each shot. So much had happened to me in the last week and despite the fact that I was making the money I needed, I didn't feel the sense of control that I always did when working with my mom and dad. I shook myself and drew another arrow.

"That's just something you're going to have to get used to," I told myself. All my options to make money were opportunistic, dependent on what established organizations needed done. I didn't have my own organization anymore, so I just needed to take what came along. At my current rate, I might make enough in a month, but that meant taking whatever dangerous jobs came my way and after the Dwemer ruin, I wasn't too keen on that idea. I'd only done one task for Caius so far and it had by far been my most dangerous. His payout had been good, but not that good. The longer I could put off his jobs for safer ones, the better.

My mind drifted back to the Dwemer ruin and the smugglers. An idea formed in my head and I let my bowstring go slack while I paused in thought. Obviously, the things the smugglers were taking were valuable. Most of the stuff was packed up already. If Hasphat and I didn't overlook any of the looters, all that stuff would still be there.

I ran to the mushrooms trunk and collected my arrows before heading back to the Fighters guild. I found Hasphat at Eyedis' desk, recording figures in a ledger.

"Hey egghead, I need advice."

Hasphat looked up tiredly. "I'm sorry, but I'm in the middle of some complicated calculations. Can it wait?"

I sank into the chair across from him, laying my bow across my lap. "Oh sure, pay no mind to the young elf who nearly died helping you the other day."

Hasphat sighed. "Fine, what do you need?"

"Well, I'm just wondering why smugglers were stealing from a Dwemer ruin. Seems to me that abandoned ruins like that ought to be first come first serve. You made them sound like criminals."

"They were," Hasphat confirmed. "The Empire owns all rights to all new discoveries of Dwemer artifacts. If you didn't own a Dwemer artifact before the law went into effect, then it is property of the Empire and owning it yourself is punishable by death."

I nodded. "But they must have had buyers. I'm sure there's a black market for this stuff."

Hasphat's stare turned serious as he realized what I was getting at. "Look Han-lu. I know money can be hard earned here in Vvardenfell, but don't turn to crime. Eyedis is turning up some very promising leads with house Hlaalu. We'll have work soon."

I grinned and let out a chuckle. "Hasphat, you underestimate me. I'm young, but I'm far from innocent. I'm not coming to you for moral advice. I want to know where I can pawn this stuff off without attracting attention from the Empire."

Hasphat turned angrily back to his ledger. "I wouldn't know anything about such things. I have no part in sordid affairs. The most morally negligible thing I do is gamble."

"Hmph," I looked away nonchalantly. "Well, if you were to give me a hint or a lead, I could cut you in on the score. You wouldn't even have to touch the merchandise."

"My answer is no Han-lu. I'm an upstanding citizen of the Empire and I make my living lawfully."

I sat and stared at him while he ignored me, writing figures in his ledger. "Eyedis doesn't know that, does she?" Hasphat paused slightly, trying to understand my meaning. I continued. "After all, you did take a dwemer relic from that ruin and surely Eyedis is aware of your gambling problem."

Hasphat looked at me incredulously and I shrugged. "It would be a shame if she heard you were smuggling illegal goods. That might ruin your reputation in the guild, not to mention your standing as a, 'law abiding citizen of the Empire,' I mocked."

Hasphat deliberately laid down his quill, making his expression as dangerous as he could. "You have no proof Dunmer. It's your word against mine."

"The thing is, I don't even have to accuse you. I'm just an inexperienced young adult, new to the adventures of life. All I'd have to do is let something slip in front of Eyedis. For example," I changed my tone of voice to make me sound young and impressionable. "Oh Hasphat, wasn't it fun raiding that old ruin the other day? Say, what was it that you found while we were there?

"Then Eyedis overhears and asks, 'What's this about raiding an ancient ruin?' From there, I just have to clam up as if I'm keeping a secret for you and you're cooked."

Hasphat stood suddenly, throwing his chair over backwards and roared in fury. "Curse you you ungrateful whelp! I kept my end of the bargain and gave you the information you wanted. Where is this coming from? Why do you treat me with such hatred?"

"This isn't out of hatred dear old man," I said calmly. "I need money and you can help me get it. Surely you know somebody disreputable from all your gambling. Just put me in touch with somebody useful and this can all go away." I waved my fingers through the air to simulate his problems drifting away on the breeze.

He met my gaze with frustration. I could see he was a man of conscience and he was being asked to go against his conscience. After a tense few moments, he sat back down in his seat. "There's a pawn broker named Ra'Virr, a Khajiit. I know he deals in skooma, but I don't know if he'll deal in Dwemer artifacts. His shop is just down the street."

I nodded in satisfaction. "Thank you Hasphat. I'll have to check in with him."

As I left, Hasphat called after me. "Remember, you didn't get this from me. If the Empire catches you, you're as good as dead."


	28. Chapter 28 Ra'Virr the Fence

Ra'Virr's shop was in the plaza near the cities southern gate. The clouds from earlier in the day had gathered together and were now pouring rain by the barrel. I rushed to the small building marked by a swinging wooden sign and ducked in the door. Ra'Virr sat on a comfortable padded armchair in a corner. The square shop was clean and well ordered. Weapons hung on racks on the walls and barrels and crates were stacked in rows leaving aisles for shoppers to browse.

The Khajiit himself was a bright orange without any other colors or patterns in his fur. The fur grew thicker around his jaw, giving me the impression of a lion's mane. He greeted me, snatching a pipe from his lips. "Greetings friend. Feel free to look around and let Ra'Virr know if you see anything you like."

I tested the air with a sniff and Identified the scent of tobacco, but not a hint of skooma. "Greetings to you too Ra'Virr. I'm afraid I'm not in the market to buy anything. I'm looking for a, uh…" I glanced at the room, both to make sure we were alone and to give him a clue as to my intentions. "I'm looking for a partner on a small business venture."

"Mmm." Ra'Virr stood up purring. "Wait just a moment." He went to the door and locked it. He then turned to me. "Ra'Virr is interested in business ventures. What does this one have in mind?"

I reached in my bag and pulled out the two bottles of skooma I'd stolen from the Argonian on my trip with Ajira. "These for a start," I tossed the vials to him and he caught them, giving them a quick examination before returning his curious gaze to me. "I also have a lead on some assorted Dwemer artifacts."

Ra'Virr smiled, showing his sharp rows of teeth. "Yes, Ra'Virr is interested in this deal. Ra'Virr has friends who can trade Dwemer items on their network. If you can get these items to Ra'Virr's shop without being seen, Ra'Virr can pay you well."

"I'll come up with a plan and we'll be in touch."

Ra'Virr counted out a bag of coins and handed them to me before unlocking the door. "This is for the skooma. Now walk away like you were just browsing."

I tucked the coin pouch into my bag so I wouldn't draw attention and stepped out into the rain. I needed a way to get crates full of illegal artifacts into a store in the center of the cities market. I scanned the area, oblivious to the rain. The only other people outside were guards. Even now, it would be impossible to sneak crates into the city without drawing attention.

That left one option; magic. I knew there were spells that could teleport you from one place to another, but they were difficult to learn. Some mages could inscribe a spell on a scroll and store the magic needed in the scroll itself, but this was not a cheap option. I wiped the rain from my forehead and headed toward the guilds. I considered looking into potions. It was possible that a potion could be mixed for teleportation, but prices could vary greatly depending on the cost of the ingredients. The only logical step was to go ask Ajira.

I entered the mages guild dripping wet and closed the door against a gust of wind. A short Wood elf woman in a yellow silk robe looked up from her study materials to scowl at me in displeasure. Her face looked pinched together as if she'd eaten something sour. "If you track mud through the guildhall, you'll be cleaning it up before you leave."

I glanced down at the bottoms of my boots. They were wet, but thanks to the cobbled streets, they were clean. I walked past the unpleasant woman and searched the basement for Ajira. I found her snoozing in one of the bunks and gently shook her by the shoulder.

"Ajira, cat nap's over."

"Bah," she replied reluctantly. "As if Ajira has never heard that one before. What does Han-lu want that cannot wait?"

"A money making opportunity," I replied. "A potentially big one."

Ajira's ears perked up and she sat up in bed. "Is it legal?"

I grinned. "Your part is. I need teleportation potions."

"Hmm," she scratched her chin with a single claw. "That can be tricky. Where do you need to teleport to?"

"A certain shop in town."

"You are going to need a custom potion then. You see, the Tribunal Temple makes potions that can teleport you to their nearest temple and the Imperial cult does the same. Their potions don't cost much. What you need is a mark potion and a recall potion. The mark potion lets you set a destination of your choosing and the recall will take you back to that point." She went to her small desk and flipped through the pages of a thick volume. "Of course, you could hire a spell maker to enchant some scrolls. It would be faster."

I suffered her curious gaze in contemplation before shaking my head. "I'd prefer to work with you for obvious reasons. How soon can you get me one mark and three recall potions?"

"Ajira must acquire the ingredients. They can be bought. Check with me in two days." She stood and packed a few things into a satchel before hurrying out of the guild. I followed, hoping to avoid Ranis Athrys. I didn't feel like taking on more work at the moment. I spotted her talking to another Dark elf near the exit, so I followed close on Ajira's heels, but walked casually enough to avoid attention.

I closed the door behind me just to find Eyedis Fire-Eye arguing heatedly with Balyn Omavel outside the fighters guild.

"If you have the nerve to think that I haven't been prepared for this party, you're poorly mistaken," Balyn stated. "I've never had an issue finding an escort and to think I could change my plans at this late hour. I have a reputation to maintain." Eyedis looked like she was about to argue. I tried to avoid them by staying on Ajira's heels, which was making the cat nervous.

"If you must have someone, I suggest you find that other N'wah lacky you hired. There he is now."

I stopped walking, gritting my teeth and waved at them. Balyn excused himself, leaving me with Eyedis. "Um, hello guildmaster."

"Han-lu," she greeted with a nod, then made as if to speak, but stopped, seemingly unsure what to say.

I hesitated, expecting Eyedis to continue, but realised she needed prodding. "Was there something you needed?"

"Yes," she started slowly. "You know I've been meeting with House Hlaalu officials." I nodded. I hadn't seen much of her for a few days. "I've been invited to a party at the manor of a very rich noble. I want to make a good impression and I was hoping to find a dark elf escort. You know, to put the nobles at ease."

I cringed. There was a plethora of reasons I didn't want to go. First was my blood loss from the Dwemer ruin, although I may as well have been recovered from that at this point. Second was anxiety about going to a party, considering how my last one had gone. Third was my fear of women. Eyedis was asking me to be her escort. While not quite the same as a date, I'd almost certainly have to dance and make merry. There were sure to be other young women there. Unlike most of the ones I'd met in social circumstances, they were all eligible dark elves like me. That was perhaps the most frightening part of all. However, I couldn't tell Eyedis any of these reasons.

She stole my chance to make an excuse by explaining further. "I'm on the verge of a long term contract with Orvas Dren. If you'll come with me tonight and make a good impression, I'll give you the pick of the best assignments."

Now I had to bite my lip in consideration. All I needed was enough money to pay a smuggler. Would the Dwemer artifacts put me over the number? I couldn't be sure. If not, it would be a good idea to plan for the future. Thinking of the Khajiit merchant I was dealing with, I assumed I'd be getting considerably less than the merchandise was actually worth.

"What's the celebration about?" I asked in hopes of postponing my answer.

"The 27th of Last Seed is on its way. The Dren's have apparently finished their harvest early, so they're having their celebration early."

"Slave labor surely makes the workload light," I joked.

Eyedis groaned. "Han-lu. I don't much approve of slavery either, but we're stuck in Vvardenfell and we need work. If we want to survive, we have to make nice, regardless of our personal feelings. Bringing up slavery is not a good way to make friends here."

I couldn't deny that. Part of me sympathized with her plight, being in the same boat myself. However part of me wanted to laugh after considering the fact that I was thriving better than the guild itself. "Alright. What do I need to do?"

The red haired warrior beamed. "Thanks Han-lu. You'll need to go to the clothier down the street and get something presentable. Put it on the guilds tab. Meet me at the guildhall by four o'clock."

"Yes ma'am."


	29. Chapter 29 Last Seed Celebration

_Author's note. I'm very excited to share this chapter with you. At this point, the world starts to expand and include more characters with sub plots to Han lu's story._

 _At this point, I'd like to ask my readers a question. What do you think about making this story a_ _you tube_ _narration? I noticed many fandoms have fanfiction readings, but the Elder Scrolls is terribly lacking. I'm considering making a side gig of narrating both my own and other people's stories. Do you think it's a good idea? Would you be more willing to listen than read? Do you think an Elder Scrolls fanfiction based youtube channel would get any traction? Feel free to PM me._

You'd think it would feel good, getting expensive clothes at someone else's expense, but standing in front of the clothier's mirror just caused me anxiety. Of course, the middle aged Dunmer woman spoke highly of my outfit. I looked good, I had to admit, but all I could think of was the sinking feeling I got at the idea of a nobleman's party.

The clothier looked at me sternly. "Muthsera, if you plan on attending a high class event, I really must suggest a haircut. There's a barber just down the street."

I looked at her without comprehending for a moment before realizing what she'd said. "Oh, of course. Thank you." I took one last look at my black pants and vest over a long sleeved red shirt before paying her. I pocketed the receipt for reimbursement later and shuffled to the the barber shop in a daze.

' _This won't go like the Emperor's birthday,'_ I promised myself. ' _I'm not going to cause any trouble. Just make nice, play along, and get paid.'_

I kept assuring myself, barely taking a moment to instruct the barber, but I couldn't shake my feeling. It's never that simple with nobility.

After the barber was finished evening up my ratty hair, I couldn't think of any more excuses to delay meeting Eyedis, so I slowly made my way to the Fighters guild. I found Wayn and Hasphat playing cards on the main floor. Hasphat avoided my gaze, but Wayn looked up from the game. "Hey, knock em dead tiger."

Hasphat retorted without looking up from his cards. "He's going to a party, not a fight Wayn."

"Well he's still representing the guild, right?"

I ignored them while they bickered and went down to my bunk. I took the orcish sword from my footlocker and belted it on. It wasn't ornate like the ones some of the nobles would be wearing, but neither did it look cheap. It gave off just the image I'd imagine Eyedis would want. Professional.

I also kept my curved knife on my belt, but besides that I left the orcish bow and quiver. It wouldn't do to attend a party while armed to the teeth.

"You look nice," I heard Eyedis mention from the doorway. I turned and straightened my belt before looking at her. She had her red hair up in a bun and was wearing some sort of brown leather uniform rather than a dress.

I responded with the expected token response. "Thanks, so do you."

"Shall we go then?"

I nodded and followed her through town to the silt strider platform. I was happy when we finally got under way. The view of the surrounding land gave me something to get my mind off the anxiety. From my perch atop the silt strider, I could see rain falling over Seyda Neen to the south. Scattered clouds daubed the rest of the horizon.

"I hope the party doesn't get rained out," Eyedis commented as she settled in next to me.

I did, but I kept that to myself. "I'm sure it's been thought of," I said instead.

"Hmm." A lull fell in the conversation. I just stared out to the left side, but Eyedis kept trying to get me talking. "So are you getting settled in?"

I tilted my head to each side, "I don't know. Balmora is a nice enough place, but I get a little restless if I keep still too long. I'm taking it one day at a time."

"Have you considered working in one of the other guild halls? The Fighters guild has four halls in Morrowind. There's one in Vivec city to the southeast," she pointed east of where Seyda Neen was located. "There's also halls in Ald' Ruhn to the north and Sadrith Mora on the east coast."

That last one caught my attention, but I tried not to give anything away. I still hadn't told Eyedis about my ancestry and I'd resolved to quit giving away my secrets. "Thanks for the information. I just might look into it."

I wasn't sure how I felt about Sadrith Mora. One part of me thought it would only complicate things, but on the other, I could have family there in House Telvanni. Were my grandparents still alive? Would they want to meet me? Did I have aunts, uncles, and cousins? Were they in the family business? My thoughts were interrupted when castle Pelagiad came into view. The Imperial fort had been built on the southern coast of lake Amaya. As we passed it, I saw a small town sprawled out in front of the gates. The town itself was surrounded by small farms. The sun began to set as the city fell behind the horizon. The only lights we could see were from the moon and lanterns from the occasional farm or plantation.

We followed a path that ran parallel to lake Amaya until a well lit villa came into view. The land here was thick with furrowed ground and even as the moon rose, I could see slaves and slave masters tending to the acres of fields. We approached a walled compound that was strung with hundreds of lanterns, lighting the whole area. Outside the wall, there were shacks that were no doubt slave quarters. Inside the walls, the buildings were far more ornate and guests were already mingling. I heard the faint tones of a string band playing in the most open courtyard.

The silt strider we were riding pulled up alongside the compound wall where a wooden platform had been built to accommodate the beasts riders. As we stood to disembark, Eyedis leaned over to me. "Han lu, I need you to just make nice and stay professional. No picking fights and no political arguments."

I smirked. "No worries. I can do congenial."

We were greeted by a well dressed Khajiit at a desk. He wore the silver bracers of a slave, but spoke like an average servant.

"This one welcomes you to Dren plantation. Your names if you please?"

Eyedis took my arm, "Eyedis Fire-Eye of the Balmora Fighters guild and my escort Han lu Urshar."

The Khajiit checked a guest list, finding Eyedis' name and jotting mine down with a quill. "Once again, welcome. Feel free to make your way to the courtyard. You are also welcome to peruse the grounds."

"Thank you sir," Eyedis said in parting. I followed her lead down the stairs off the wall and past a few buildings to the courtyard. The lanterns cast shadows across the compound. There were tables and chairs set up around the edge of the courtyard. My stomach tightened involuntarily seeing the middle of the party grounds cleared of furniture and filled with dancers surrounding a bonfire. I automatically started scanning for any curly haired Wood Elf girls, but realized it was unlikely I'd find Gildee at a high society event. Was I relieved or disappointed? I wasn't sure.

I scanned the crowd as Eyedis met various nobles, only commenting when addressed. Most of the crowd were Dark elves, but there were a spattering of humans and other elves. Naturally, the only Khajiit and Argonians present were slaves and servants.

I stayed mostly aloof until we were greeted by a familiar face. A Dark elf man in clothing too rough to be a noble greeted me and offered his hand. I shook it and greeted him. "You're Llaro Llethri right," I guessed after searching my memory? The Dunmer before me was one of the two who had offered Ajira and I a ride to Balmora on horseback.

He laughed, "I'm Gathal. Llaro is my brother."

I turned to Eyedis. "Gathal, this is Eyedis Fire-Eye, Guildmaster of the Balmora Fighters guild. Eyedis, this is Gathal Llethri. I met him about a week ago." I looked Gathal in the eye. "In Balmora," I added with emphasis, hoping to avoid having to tell Eyedis I was moonlighting for the Mages guild.

Gathal seemed to pick up my meaning and without missing a beat, took Eyedis' hand. "At your service Sera." He lifted her hand charmingly to his lips in greeting. "Perhaps you'd be so kind as to join my brother and I at our table."

Eyedis' cheeks flushed rosy, her blush far more distinct than a Dunmer's due to the Nord's pale complexion. "We'd be delighted."

Gathal led us to a table nearer to the dance floor than I liked and we took our seats. Llaro was there with a young Dunmer noblewoman who seemed familiar. I tried to place her face, but I couldn't seem to do it. Gathal introduced us and I met the girls eyes, but they betrayed no recognition or emotion. None at all. I suddenly got the feeling she was keeping a straight face on purpose which only made me more suspicious. I caught myself staring and what's worse, so did she.

Gathal motioned to her, "This is Safia Dren, daughter to Lord Orvas Dren."

Eyedis and the Llethri brothers talked about their respective lines of work, meanwhile, I watched Safia out of the corner of my eye. Once again, I believed she was watching me too.

"I've been told that Lord Orvas is considering contracting with your guild," Llaro chimed in. "If that's true, we may be working closely with each other. Gathal and I see to the safety of our supply lines and keep careful track of the Dren families assets."

I chuckled on the inside, wondering if Eyedis knew what she was getting involved with, but once again held my tongue.

"So how did you get involved with the Dren family," Eyedis asked?

"Gathal and I are Ashlanders. We grew up far to the north. In our younger days, we left our tribe and worked as caravan guards and mercenaries until Orvas hired us. He's always looking for loyal men."

"Speaking of whom, where is he," Eyedis asked? "I haven't met him in person yet."

Gathal craned his neck to search, but Safia pointed him out. Orvas Dren was tall for a Dunmer; well over six feet. He stood near another table, not stopping to sit with any one group, but walked all around so as to meet all of his guests. He was in dark expensive clothing with a black cape hanging by a silver chain. His daughter caught his eye and waved him over. He politely excused himself and made his way toward us.

Eyedis straightened her outfit nervously. Orvas approached the table and once again stood, rather than sitting. He leaned on an empty chair, presenting a hard, angular face. "What do you need Safia?"

Safia introduced us and a grin spread out across of his face. A grin I could only describe as devious. "Ah yes, the Imperial guild. Madam Fire-Eye, you truly live up to your name," he flirted, though he wore an expression like a wolf.

"Why thank you," Eyedis played along, either oblivious or intentional. "I've been very eager to meet you."

He moved to the back of her chair like a predator on the prowl. "Not as eager as I've been I assure you. You know, I have to say, I expected you to bring an escort from one of your other Imperial provinces. I thought you'd have trouble recruiting locals, but it seems you're making friends rather quickly." He moved on suddenly, as if Eyedis didn't exist and leaned against the round table between us so he could look directly at me.

"Tell me, Han lu Urshar," he pronounced my name prominently, as if making a point. "How does an Ashlander become buddy buddy with an Imperial guild? I was under the impression that the ashland tribes mistrusted the Imperials and outlanders. Why so eager to switch sides?"

I frowned at the sudden intense attention being focused on me and the fact that he so readily recognized my name from ashland origins was not lost on me. Orvas was surely an experienced politician. Eyedis looked a bit disgruntled, having been passed over so lightly. Orvas rested his intimidating gaze on me. This was not the treatment a noble gave his dinner guests. Orvas was domineering over the party and its attendees, establishing his position in the same manner as a bear, standing on its hind legs to look more intimidating.

"I'm on my own side Lord Dren and I'm an Ashlander by heritage, not upbringing. I was born and raised in Cyrodiil."

Dren cocked his head to one side. "So you have no loyalties to your tribe?"

I chuckled, trying to keep the mood light despite Orvas' lording manner. "None whatsoever. My parents never even told me what tribe I'm from."

"And to the Empire? Do you serve the Emperor faithfully?"

I glanced past him to find the Llethri brothers who were grinning widely and Safia sitting between them, who was intently trying to read me. I looked back up at Orvas. "Not necessarily."

The lord's face drooped and looked crestfallen, though I suspected it was a part of his act. "Well what use is a man without loyalty?" Suddenly Dren's ploy made sense to me. My parents used this tactic all the time. Unfortunately, I'd fallen for it, but I could backtrack and alert Eyedis before she went into negotiations.

"You may be surprised yet lord Dren, should you be willing to give my guild a try."

Orvas Dren humphed and returned his attention to Eyedis who was looking smaller than she normally did. "Well, that matter remains to be seen. Would you give me a few moments to gather my business counsellors and then meet me in my office?" He pointed to one of the buildings. "We'll discuss what you have to offer and we'll see whether we have any need of you."

Eyedis looked up at him as he left. "Yes, Lord Dren. I'll see you there soon." She seemed to sink into her seat a little, feeling out of her depth. I glanced across the table once more. Seeing the looks on the Dren affiliate's faces, I started feeling like a lamb in a wolves den. I set my jaw in determination. ' _I'm a wolf too,'_ I mentally growled. I wasn't going to let Eyedis get taken advantage of, if only to prove that I was on their level.

"Pardon us Safia; gentlemen, but if I only have Eyedis for a few moments, I'd like to escort her to the dance." It was a blatant lie, but I couldn't say what I needed to say in front of them.

Eyedis didn't look up. "I'm not sure we have time for that Han lu." I mentally cursed. This Nord woman was far too slow on the uptake to deal with Orvas. Suddenly I wished I knew Gildee's charm spell. I needed to get Eyedis away from prying ears. Thanks to my lack in that magical discipline, I settled for a much less subtle kick to her ankle. She looked up at me in surprise and she seemed to comprehend my hard look. "Then again," she backtracked, "I suppose we have a moment."

As I took Eyedis' hand and rose from the table, I risked one more glance at the others. The Llethri's excused us and had already written us off as beaten by their master, but Safia wore a different look. She was certainly her father's daughter. The smile she gave me told me that she knew I was still in the game.

Eyedis watched me with anticipation as we joined the slow waltz. "This night is not going as I hoped," she vented.

I nodded. Taking a moment to gather my thoughts. I took a deep breath and got a whiff of Eyedis' pine scented perfume. "You're out of your league here. You're a fighter, not a negotiator and your lack of charisma is going to get the guild a very bad deal." I spoke boldly to get my point across to the Nord, watching the crowd out of the corner of my eye. It was more out of habit than precaution. Nobody was looking at us. Except Safia.

Eyedis shook her head. "We don't have much of a choice. We need contracts to keep the guild going. If I don't make a deal tonight, we may not get this good of a chance again."

I sighed. "Eyedis, you're letting Orvas control the narrative. He probably knows that we're hard up for work. The reason he talked to me at all was to make you feel like you had little to offer him. He wanted you to think that you might not meet his standards at all so that you'd settle for low prices on bad contracts. But that's not how things really are. Remember what Llaro said? Orvas is always looking for good men. That's something Orvas wouldn't have wanted us to hear. He's trying to make you think he has plenty of manpower and that the Imperial guild is just a fallback."

Eyedis was suddenly looking anxious. "How do you know all that?"

"It comes from years of overhearing negotiations."

Eyedis bit her lip. "I don't think I can do this. Maybe you should go in my place."

"No. You can do this." As we spun I noticed Llaro talking to Safia and glancing at me. Safia stood and approached us. "Look," I whispered quickly. "It's simple. Go to Orvas, pretend that we don't need him to survive, negotiate as long as you can, and when they finally make a written offer, it will be less than we're worth. Walk away from it tonight and they'll send a better offer in the next few days."

Eyedis pulled back to look me in the eye worriedly. "Are you sure they will?"

Safia neared us, preventing me from answering. "So sorry to interrupt, but may I cut in? You ought to be meeting my father now."

Eyedis reluctantly pulled away from me and glanced at Safia. "A-absolutely. Dancing was never my strong suit anyway," she replied lightly.

I gave her one last confident look and spoke, trying to convey a double meaning, "It helps to take advice from a professional." This time, Eyedis was able to pick up on my verbal queue and nodded a bit more confidently before leaving.

Safia stepped in front of me, holding her arm out for me to take. "Shall we?" I hesitated, wishing I'd had more time to talk Eyedis up, but submitted. The worst thing I could do now was make a scene.

Safia wore a simple black dress with red highlights. It seemed to be a theme for the Drens. I wondered if they were styling their clothes to match daedric weapons like the ones I'd seen the Llethri's carrying days ago.

I took Safia in a dancing embrace, having to clear my throat to hide my surprise as she pressed up against me. She enthusiastically followed my lead giving me a knowing look all the while. My nose was invaded with a lavender perfume. Unlike Eyedis' subtle scent, Safia's stood out. I tried to think of some kind of small talk to start a meaningless conversation, but her smile was too distracting. It was far too on the nose for what I'd expect from someone in her position. "What's so entertaining?" I asked.

"I just think it's fun when someone believes they can get the best of my father." She tossed her shoulder length, obsidian hair, giving me a clear view of two ruby eyes wearing a look of amusement. "You may think you're keeping your head above water, but you've already drowned."

I didn't respond. There was nothing to gain here by arguing. I did like Eyedis wanted and just made nice.

"What do you think of him? Honestly," she asked with a wolfish grin. Unlike her father's sharp, angular features, her face was softer and more rounded.

"Honestly?" I asked. She nodded with a smirk, her red eyes glinting in the lantern light. ' _What did I think of him?'_ I didn't answer for a long time. She kept staring at me expectantly. "Well, I suppose if he were about a foot shorter, I might mistake him for my dad."

Safia's smile turned to a look of surprise, one eyebrow raised. She didn't press me further until the dance was over. The string band ended their song and I pulled away from Safia. I spoke curtly. "I've had quite enough dancing for one night, thank you," I said, hoping to excuse myself.

"But I must insist you come and tell me about yourself Han lu." She grabbed hold of my wrist. "You wouldn't want to disappoint your hostess. Not with such a big business arrangement hanging in the balance."

I gritted my teeth. This girl used the same social tactics as me, but she seemed to do so for her own entertainment. Without argument, I let her lead me to an empty table away from where we had been sitting. This side of the courtyard was near a dock. There was no wall between the compound and the lake. It was the furthest dining area from the party and the least crowded. As Safia sat down, her expression became softer.

"I have to apologize for all that," she said surprising me. "I'm not really controlling, but that's who everyone expects me to be." I kept quiet, not sure where she was going with this. She lost the confident, authoritative expression she'd been holding over me and became more amiable. "Look, now that I don't have my father's retainers watching me, I can be honest. Keep your guild away from my family. It will only end badly for you." Her expression had changed so dramatically, she seemed like a different person. Her smile was genuine.

"Why tell me this," I asked, as a waiter placed drinks and a small platter of horderves in front of us?

"I have my reasons. Father is not a good man. He and his retainers manipulate everyone they deal with. That's the sort of person I'm expected to be if I want to take over the family business one day. So I play my part for now. Which brings me to why I wanted to talk with you in the first place. I have an offer for you."

I leaned back in my seat, daring to relax a bit. "Pray tell."

"If you won't tell anyone that I was in Balmora a few weeks back, I won't tell my father that you splattered my dress with rat brains."

I immediately realized where I'd seen her. She'd been coming out of the South wall cornerclub when I'd been clearing out the giant rats for Drarayne Thelas. I remembered the feeling I'd gotten that the cornerclub was just a front for something else and I wondered how she was involved.

"Sounds like a fair deal to me."

"Good. Now that that's settled, why don't you tell me about your father? I've never met another man quite like my dad. How does he remind you of him?"

"I'm afraid we both have secrets to keep. You're playing the part of the spoiled daddy's girl and I'm playing a part of my own."

She rolled her head from side to side dramatically. "Oh secrets secrets secrets. I get so tired of secrets." Safia complained. "What can you tell me about yourself?" She leaned in, putting her elbows on the table and perching her face in her hands. The look she gave me made my heart skip a beat. Now that she wasn't acting like an elitist, I had to admit she was rather attractive. She had the smooth bluish skin of a coastal Dunmer.

I checked myself, frustrated that my heart was beating out of my control. Once again I had to come up with a story. "There's not much to it. I grew up in Cyrodiil, ran away from home young, tried to join the Imperial legion, but they said I had trouble with authority. I took up mercenary work and came here."

"Just like that," she asked with a knowing smile? It was obvious she knew I was fabricating, but instead of pressing, she humored me.

"Just like that," I affirmed.

"Right, and I'm a Daedric princess here to meddle in the affairs of mortals, breaking innocent men's hearts and fooling the foolhardy."

Despite my secretive nature, I was unable to keep a straight face. Something about Safia put me at ease and my poker face melted away. With a chuckle, I admitted, "I could almost believe that story. But are you the cunning Boethiah or the elegant Azura?"

Safia feigned shock, "Why Han lu, did you just pay me a compliment?"

"Perhaps I did."

Our banter was interrupted by someone from behind me. "May I offer some horderves?"

Safia cocked a brow at him. "We've already got a platter, thank you very much."

To my surprise, the waiter pressed. "May I recommend the comberry tart for the gentleman?"

I turned and was surprised to see that it was Caius Cosades, dressed in waiter's attire and offering me a snack on a silver platter.

"Oh… of course," I said in surprise. I took the pastry and the napkin it was sitting on without ado, trying not to raise suspicion. Soon as I took it, Caius moved on. I took a few token nibbles, wondering what that could have been about.

Safia cocked an eyebrow at me and I shrugged, truly having no idea what had transpired. "It is an excellent tart," I insisted, pretending not to know Caius. She replied by picking up an identical one off the platter next to us and giving me a pointed stare. Suddenly, my mind raced. What was special about this tart? My first thought was poison, but that wouldn't make sense. Some kind of enhancing potion might have been understandable, but I didn't know what for.

My father had taught me a checklist of symptoms to look for when trying to identify if your food had been spiked, but I couldn't identify anything.

Safia asked me how I liked Balmora. I forced myself to be calm and continue the conversation, which left me little brainpower to concentrate on Caius.

"I don't mind the town. It's nice enough I suppose, as long as I keep my distance from the council club. I had a small scuffle with the boys over there when I first arrived."

"Have you been to the temple yet?"

I shook my head. "Haven't had the time." It was a lie, but it was simpler than explaining my daedra worship.

"You ought to. It's well worth taking time for your spiritual health. Our souls need tending the same as our bodies."

I let a grin creep onto my face. "Are you a regular patron?"

"An acolyte in fact. I help the priests with tasks from time to time."

"Is that what you were doing in Balmora that day?" I took another tentative bite of the tart. "Then again, that dank little cornerclub doesn't seem a very godly place for an acolyte of the temple to spend her time," I teased.

"Part of my job is to visit the poor and the afflicted. I can hardly do that by staying in the safest parts of town now can I?" She reasoned with practiced skill, obviously being well versed on the subject.

"I suppose that's well and fine, but you should be mindful of your own safety as well. Two elves almost followed you after you left the south wall."

"Hmm, you think I'm a helpless daddy's girl, don't you? A goody two shoes."

I shrugged and popped the remainder of the tart into my mouth, revealing writing on the napkin underneath. It read, "Find an excuse to leave the party immediately." I crumpled the napkin and discreetly tucked it in my vest pocket.

"I hate to be rude, but could you direct me to the restrooms?"

"Oh, of course. There's one in the outbuilding over there." She pointed to a building near the silt strider station.

"Thank you Muthsera."

We stood at the same time and she said, "Of course. It's been a pleasure Han lu. If I don't see you again this evening, may we meet again soon."

"Oh the pleasure will be all mine, I assure you." I then excused myself and walked with a purpose to the building Safia had pointed out. I passed a lit brazier and tossed the napkin into it. Most of the party attendees paid me no mind. I did wave when I saw one of the Llethri's raise a celebratory mug to me as I passed.

A Dunmer guard stood near the entrance to the building, glancing at me before returning her attention to the rest of the party. She was unarmored except for a distinctive round shield on her back made of a rare green volcanic glass. She also wore a matching glass longsword. Those items were not cheap.

Ducking into the building with the latrine, I took a moment to think while in the small room. The fact that Caius wanted me to evacuate had me on edge. Was there a trap? Was Dren going to abduct or murder us? Would someone attack the compound? What should I do about Eyedis?

"Prioritize your priorities," I said, stealing my father's phrase. "Secure transportation, then find Eyedis." I wished Caius had given me more to go off of.

I left the building through another door, avoiding the party. The alley between the building and the compound wall was empty with the exception of a young human couple kissing passionately. I ignored them and made my way to the silt strider platform.

The Khajiit greeter was still there. He stood when he saw me. "Hello again young master. What can this one do for you?"

"How soon can I get a silt strider out of here?"

"So soon," the Khajiit inquired? "The harvest feast has only just begun."

"An emergency has arisen and I may have to see to it quickly."

The greeter shook his head. "This one apologises, but the silt striders are to leave near the end of the party. If they started leaving now, the later guests would have to await their return. If an emergency has arisen, talk to the Llethri brothers. They would surely assist you."

I bit my lip and nodded before turning back to the party. While still on the wall, I identified where the main building was and also where the stables were. If I had to steal a horse to escape, I would. Asking the Llethri's for help was out of the question. They might be involved with whatever plot Caius wanted me to avoid.

Once out of sight of the Khajiit, I slipped into the shadows of the closest building. If I could stay close to the wall, I could avoid the majority of the party goers. I needed to get to the manor house and find Eyedis. Could she be in trouble? I was in hot water if I had to rescue her single handedly.

I briefly thought of abandoning her. It was possible she wasn't involved and the worst that would happen would be a stern talking to from her tomorrow. It was also possible she was a captive and needed my help. I followed the north wall to the east end of the villa. The party was situated on the south end of the compound looking out over the lake. I encountered no guards until I came to the middle of the east wall. The manor house was watched by two or three guards who patrolled its perimeter.

The back wall of the house was only eight feet from the shadows of the compound wall. I fell to a prone position and crawled along the wall where the grass had grown high enough to hide me. I paused as a heavily armored guard strolled past. His footfalls and the noise of his armor were loud enough to cover any noise I might have made.

As he passed I scanned the wall. There was thick ivy growing part way up and there was a drain pipe on the corner. I slowly unclipped my sword from my belt, leaving it in the tall grass. Free from the extra weight, I waited for the guard to pass and slipped to the drainpipe, climbing as quickly and quietly as I could. I wasn't as strong as I used to be, but I wasn't as heavy either. I clambered up to the roof and pulled myself onto the thick tiles. Taking a moment to catch my breath, I checked over the edge on each side of the house for windows. On the front of the house, facing the rest of the compound was a balcony with closed double doors.

"If I were a rich plantation owner, that's where I'd conduct business from."

The problem was that if I were to drop to the balcony, I'd be completely exposed to anyone looking from the party. A lit torch on either side of the balcony ensured there would be no shadow to hide in.

"I need to put out those torches." I thought of a solution quickly. Luckily I hadn't actually relieved myself when I visited the restrooms. Unzipping my pants, I discreetly released a stream of urine onto each torch, exposing myself to the world. I prayed that no one would look up to the two story buildings roof. My actions were getting harder to explain by the minute.

After successfully extinguishing each torch, I dropped to the porch, crouching as I landed to quietly absorb the impact. I was in luck. The meeting was taking place just inside. I stayed to the side of the double doors, but could faintly hear voices. I couldn't make out most words, but I heard Eyedis and she didn't sound distressed. With a quick peek through a pane of glass I saw Orvas Dren sitting with his back to me and a small handful of other men.

Eyedis calmly negotiated as I had told her. She seemed to grow slightly more irritated by the minute. Each of the people in the room seemed to take a turn.

The last words of the meeting, I heard quite clearly thanks to Eyedis' raised voice. "Lord Dren, I would thank you for your time, but it has become quite clear that you do not take my guild seriously. Unless you can fairly compensate my men for risking their lives, I'm sure you'll find your manpower elsewhere. Good evening, sir." With that last word, she turned and left the room.

My heart rate quickened. I had to catch her before she returned to the party. She had as good an excuse as any to leave the party. I needed to retrieve my sword first though.

I stepped onto the balcony rail and hoisted myself back onto the roof. My arms protested the exercise, but I made my way around to the back of the roof. Looking down, I decided I could jump down to the wall and back the the ground. Waiting for the guard to turn the corner, I got a running start and jumped the eight foot gap, rolling to absorb the impact. I then eased myself over the wall and rolled again with a thump.

"Hey, who's there?" The guard in heavy steel plate armor turned back after hearing me hit the ground.

I sat dumbly in the grass. "What's wrong sir?"

"What are you doing back here? Party goers are to remain in the courtyard area."

"Oh, my sincerest apologies muthsera," I explained as I rose to my feet. "I simply thought I'd take a stroll around the lovely villa."

The guard held a torch and lowered it to shine light on my face. "What were you doing on the ground?"

"I slipped. There's a wet patch of grass there. Perhaps the maid threw out the dirty bathwater."

The guard seemed to accept my explanation. "You'd be surprised just how often I get doused by the house servants. You'd think they'd learn to watch where they throw, but they never do. I'm sorry for the inconvenience sera, but I'll have to escort you back to the party."

"Absolutely. Just let me grab my sword, it slipped off my belt in the fall." I picked it up and allowed the man to escort me to the front of the house.

"You might want to get that scabbard checked. You don't want to lose your sword off your belt if you get in a fight."

"I'll do that." I saw Eyedis was halfway back to the party when I came around the house. "Oh, there's my escourt," I said, pointing her out.

The guard nodded, happy to get me off his hands."I'll leave you to it then. Enjoy the festivities sera."

I jogged after Eyedis and caught her arm from behind, slowing her pace. "How did it go guildmaster?"

She shot me a grin. "You should have seen their faces when I rejected their offer. It was beautiful."

I smiled, playing along. "Good. Well then, shall we head out? We ought not to linger. Let them stew over it awhile, don't you think?"

Eyedis' expression turned to one of displeasure. "But the party's young. Couldn't we have a bit to eat and drink before we go?"

I shook my head, gently pulling her in the direction of the silt striders. "I don't think that's a good idea."

Eyedis pulled her arm out of my grip. "Do not forget which of us is the guildmaster here. I think we'll be just fine sharing in a few pleasantries before we leave."

I saw Orvas' advisors start to file out of the house back towards the party, followed by the lord himself. "Please Eyedis, trust me."

Orvas caught sight of us and Eyedis said, "It's too late now. I can't just run. Follow my lead, Han lu."

As the group shuffled past us, Orvas approached. "I'm sorry we couldn't come to an accord muthsera Fire-Eye. Know that my offer will remain on the table should you change your mind."

Orvas' advisors stopped when he started talking with us. I noticed one of them studying my face. I tried to turn away from him and concentrate on Orvas himself. Eyedis nodded curtly. "I will keep it in mind Lord Dren. I do thank you for the invitation to this celebration."

"I hope you enjoy the rest of it. Perhaps you'd like to join us at my table for the feast."

Before Eyedis could reply, one of the advisors interrupted by drawing his sword. "I'm sorry Orvas, but I recognize this man. You are the infamous Han lu, Urshar. You attempted to assassinate the Emperor. You're supposed to be dead."


	30. Chapter 30 Dangerous Discovery

_Author's note. Big news guys. I've decided to move ahead and try making a You Tube channel directed at reading_ _fan fiction_ _for the Elder Scrolls series. I've ordered a microphone and am familiarizing myself with video editing software. I admit I am inexperienced when it comes to this kind of tech, but I already know I have the gumption to spend hours at a computer screen for a project. I will post details as this project develops and hopefully it will provide a good alternative to actively reading for those of us with short attention spans (Yes, I also have trouble sitting down for hours to read and prefer to pop my earbuds in and let someone else read to me while I accomplish stuff). Message me if there is an Elder Scrolls or maybe a Fallout fanfic that you think deserves a bigger audience. I'll check them out and try to contact their authors to see if they are interested in a narration._

 _As always, thoughtful reviews are appreciated and I welcome private messages about the story, writing, gaming, and any intellectually stimulating topic. (Just don't ask me where babies come from, ask your mom). A special thanks to GalacticHalfling the space adventuring hobbit and 1, the creator of a number of interesting and epic Elder Scrolls characters. These two have been my most interactive readers and getting their chapter reviews and messages have kept me excited and motivated to keep writing and posting._

Nobody moved. The man who'd identified me was an Imperial. He held his long slender sword out between me and him. Orvas and the rest of the advisers seemed stunned by the accusation. None more than Eyedis however, who took a step back. All awaited to see how I'd react. Sweat gathered on my brow as I considered the best option to play. Denial was out. I didn't want to start an argument and draw more attention. Thankfully, we were away from the party and it was only the few of us who'd heard it.

Eyedis stuttered. "Han-lu, is this true?"

I thought quickly. The Emperor wouldn't have set out a warrant for me after sending me here, so this man couldn't send Imperial guards after me. I just had to keep my lie close enough to the chest to play damage control. "Apparently, he thought that slaying my family and sending me into exile would be a more suiting punishment. How do you know me exactly?"

My response did nothing to lessen the shock of the onlookers, however, the Imperial lowered his sword a bit, seeming to accept that I wasn't a fugitive. "I was there, at the Emperor's birthday party the night you ran him through. I was assigned to come here shortly after that, but I caught your fights in the arena before I had to leave." He turned to Orvas. "His skills in combat were beyond compare." His sword suddenly flicked up to my throat, causing a few gasps. I stood still, one hand discreetly gripping the handle of my knife. "But so were your skills in guile. I remember how you defeated the troll. How do I know you're telling the truth?"

I considered my options, coming dangerously close to violence before Orvas interjected. "Canctunian, you will lower your sword. I'll remind you that you are both guests here and I'll not have anyone killed at my celebration." The Lord's gaze brokered no argument and the long named Imperial sheathed his blade. "I understand you were shocked to see him, but while on my land, Han-lu and any of my guests are under my protection. Unless you can produce a warrant for arrest, you have no business with him."

The Imperial looked from Orvas to me one last time, giving me a dark glare before returning to the party. The other advisors followed suit.

"Thank you," I said, turning to Orvas. "That could have been difficult."

Eyedis stayed silent. I wished she'd say something. Orvas however, seemed unfazed if not pleasantly surprised at the turn of events. "As I was saying before we were so rudely interrupted, perhaps you'd like to join me at my table for the celebration feast."

Eyedis finally chimed in. She slowly looked from me to Orvas. "I thank you for your offer, but I think we ought to be going."

Orvas made a show of letting his shoulders slump in disappointment. "I'm sorry to hear that. I'll arrange a silt strider to take you home shall I?"

"That would be most appreciated." Eyedis' stare returned to me and I mentally shrank from her gaze. A few minutes later, we were aboard a silt striders back. The tired Dunmer driver was more than happy to leave us to ourselves.

For half the journey, neither of us dared break the silence. I still had no idea how she felt about my past. Finally, she spoke in a hushed tone. "Why did you do it?"

"Do what," I fired back indolently, suddenly defensive?

"Why did you try to assassinate the Emperor? Was it money? What did you have to gain? Speak carefully, for I'm deciding whether or not to expel you from the guild."

Why did I do it, I had to ask myself, laying it out honestly for the first time. "It wasn't for money. There were other ways to make money. I didn't even do it for the power. Killing the Emperor would have given my father's organization a legendary status, but in reality, I didn't care about that."

"Why then?" Eyedis pressed quietly.

The answer came to me, but I couldn't find a way to voice it. I involuntarily started to shake and despite my best efforts, tears welled in my eyes. I curled up in embarrassment, overcome by emotions I thought I'd spent while locked up in the Imperial cities prison. I cried, unable to hold back. I didn't care that Eyedis could see it. I tucked my head between my knees and closed myself off from the world. I didn't think about my work at the guild. I didn't think about getting home. All I thought about was my loss.

Surprisingly, I felt a comforting arm around my shoulder. I looked up to see Eyedis wearing an expression I'd only ever seen on mother. Caring. I sniffed and worked to pull myself together. "I tried to murder the Emperor because my father wanted me to. I loved my father and my failures got him killed. I don't care about money. I don't care about power." My voice broke. "I just want my family back."

Eyedis' gaze showed understanding and I tucked my head between my knees to cry some more. The strong Nord woman was kind. Her hand gently rubbed my back in a comforting motion the rest of the way home. The silt strider arrived in Balmora and Eyedis stood, pulling me to my feet. "Come on, let's get some sleep. It's been a long day."

I shook my head. "I think I'll take a walk. I need to think."

"Alright," she said, laying a hand on my shoulder. "Just take care of yourself, alright?"

I nodded and she left me on the silt strider station, overlooking Balmora. I watched her disappear around one of the buildings. The city was quiet and beautiful. The sky was clear, letting the light of the waning moon shine over it. I'd lied once again. I didn't need a walk to clear my head. I needed to talk to Caius. He'd want to see me after tonight.

Doubtless, he'd still be at the party for a while, so I took my time, appreciating the way the moonlight reflected off the Odai River. I mosied through the town nonchalantly, avoiding thoughts of my father. Home. I had to get home. I still had to wait for Ajira to make the teleport potions and I had to find a smuggler. Beyond that, I had to try to keep Caius from knowing I was trying to leave. I'd have to keep working for him.

I hated waiting. After so many close calls tonight, my body was tensed up and ready for a fight. I craved action.

I went to Caius' house and knocked on the door with no answer. Frustrated, I kept walking. The burning braziers in high town on the other side of the river caught my attention. I hadn't visited that area yet. I crossed the river and the few blocks between me and the political district of Balmora, then climbed a set of stairs set into the mountain, side. High town was called such because it had been built on a high ridge against the western mountain, overlooking the rest of the city.

There were more guards here. 'Of course,' I thought to myself. 'Why patrol the city and keep it safe, when you could surround your political leaders with a small army?' There were a few fancy shops and a large city hall where the Hlaalu nobles governed from, none of which interested me. However, I saw a small path leading north to a ridge just below high town. I followed it to find the Tribunal temple Safia had told me about earlier. I entered the front courtyard from a small arch in the wall surrounding it.

The courtyard was only twenty feet across, with only enough room for a small herb garden the temples residents had planted. I entered quietly through the front door to find a small reception room. To my left were two long rooms sporting simple beds full of sleeping people. Another room ahead sported the dim lighting of candles. I quietly wandered back to find a beautiful, but simple room. It was octagonal in shape and against each wall in a carefully crafted alcove was an obelisk with the name of a saint etched onto it along with a wispy carving in the form of the dead saint.

A lone priest stood watch over the altars. He knelt at one of the three foot high obelisks in silent prayer, or so I assumed. I tried not to disturb him and silently examined each obelisk. St. Rilms, Aralor, Seryn, and Felms to name a few. Why had my parents never told me about this religion? Surely at least my mother had been raised with it. What had turned them to the more ancient Daedra?

The priest quietly interrupted my reverie. "What brings you to worship at this time of night? Usually people your age are busy sinning this late."

His levity earned him a chuckle from me. "I'm afraid I have few sins in common with those who normally come for penance muthsera."

"I have my doubts about that. Gambling, lying, cheating, gluttony, debauchery, lusting, violence. They touch us all and each one is a sign of soul sickness." The priest stood straight and faced me. The dark elf was old. His eyes were gray and blind from cataracts. "The only way to stay true is to stay loyal to principle. What are your principles? Whom do you owe allegiance to?"

I stepped back, not expecting such intense questioning from a priest. "I am loyal to family."

He shook his head. "Family will fail you, that is if it hasn't already." I had to bite back a retort. Who was this old fool to judge my family?

"I suppose you think I should put faith in your gods. Well your Lord Vivec didn't raise me. He didn't teach me to walk or show me a trade. What makes him better than family?"

The priest bowed his head. "Neither has Vivec caused you heartbreak and sorrow. He is there yesterday, today, and forever. If you draw near to him, he will grant you his blessings to the end of your days, as will Almalexia, and Sotha Sil. Can the same be said for your family?"

Now I was angry. My fist balled and I resisted the urge to strike him.

The priest sighed and knelt back at his obelisk. "My intention is not to cause you pain young man."

"Well you sure aren't bringing me peace."

The priest sighed softly. "Peace doesn't come through gentle solace. That brings only temporary relief. Peace of mind and peace of soul come only after you are willing to face and accept truth. If you are willing, I can tell you the truth you need to hear. After that, it is up to you to accept it."

I huffed. "What truth could I possibly be denying?"

The priest was still. For a moment, I thought he was ignoring me. I considered turning to leave, but realized he was chanting to the obelisk. I waited, unsure of whether he even remembered I was there until he fell silent, looked to me and with a quiet voice he whispered, "Your father's death was caused by his arrogance, not your folly and as long as you deny his imperfections, you'll walk the same path he did."

I was struck speechless. I didn't even wonder how he knew about my father. My heart took flight as the guilt I'd carried at his death began to lift. I stumbled back and hit the floor hard. This was dad I was thinking of. Adairan Urshar. He could handle anything. He could keep his family safe and wealthy. Then again, so could Orvas Dren. Why didn't I look up to him like I did father? What was the difference? What was wrong with them?

The priest seemed to read my mind. "You can live for others instead of using them." I didn't want to hear this. I couldn't listen to this! I ran for the door. "You don't have to live by his example young one," the priest shouted after me! He never left his kneeling position. "You can live a better life!"

His shouting woke those sleeping in their bunks. My running and throwing the door open awoke more. I just ran. I couldn't accept this. Dad was my image of an ideal person. Nobody messed with him. Nobody could compare. Anyone who tried ended up dead or ruined... Until the Emperor killed him. I ran through the north gate, drawing the stares of the wall guards, but not warranting raising the alarm.

What was the point of trying to be the strongest if there was always someone stronger? How was the Emperor, a silly short lived human the most influential person in the world? Was he fiercer than father? More cruel? I'd certainly seen his mean side, but there was more to it than that. Why did people follow him with such devotion? Why were soldiers so willing to die for him when the pay was so lousy? Why did men like Caius who'd never even met the Emperor, dedicate their lives to guarding the Empire? To guarding people they didn't even know?

I paused, slowing to a walk next to the Odai river. I thought of how Ajira treated me after protecting her from the council club. She tended my wounds with no thought of reward. She hardly knew me, but then, I hadn't known her either. Why did I protect her? There was nothing in it for me. Father wouldn't have protected her. Even now, when I thought about Ajira, my heart felt warm. She was my friend. She cared for me like my mother had cared for me. Like how Eyedis had just shown me compassion. I only pretended to do those things to take advantage of a target. Why would they… love me, with so little to gain?

I collapsed and hyperventilated, a terrible thought entering my mind. Did dad ever love me or did he use me, like he used everyone else? Did he love mom? Did everyone else understand this version of love and I was the only one not on board? How was I supposed to pick who to live for? I still needed my mother, perhaps now more than ever, but for the time being, I'd look out for Ajira, whenever I could. Perhaps Eyedis... I needed more time to think about it. Until then, I still needed to talk to Caius. I washed the sweat from my face in the river and made my journey south, back to town, my heart strangely light and my head painfully heavy.


	31. Chapter 31 Shaking Hands With the Devil

I once again knocked on Caius' door with no answer, so I sat myself down in his doorway. I began to nod off and found myself dreaming. I was in some sort of treasury. Piles of gold were stacked high all around me. I looked for some sort of bag to fill, but all around me was just gold. I began stuffing my pockets to overflowing. This was my ticket off of Vvardenfell.

Once I had all I could carry, I scanned the room for an exit, but the gold coins stretched as far as I could see. Something gold moved and a tall lanky dunmer wearing a wide golden sun mask appeared from behind one of the stacks. It spoke with the voice of the temple's priest. "Is this what you desire?"

The figure kicked the bottom out from a tower of stacked coins, tipping it towards me. I had to run to avoid the avalanche. The noise behind me was deafening as the heavy metal fell to the ground. I ran past tower after tower of gold. I finally stopped to catch my breath once the noise stopped behind me.

"Money will bury you Han-lu!" I winced as he kicked over another tower after me. I ran again, but was caught up in the flow. The crushing weight of thousands of coins fell on me and I was buried, immobile. Two hands reached through the gold and hauled me halfway out of the avalanche. I looked up to see Orvas Dren and my father looking down at me. They both spoke uniformly. "This is what we can offer."

They each laid a hand on top of my head and pushed me down in a baptism of greed.

I started, my heart leaping out of my chest as I woke. I scanned the street, hoping to see Caius, but it was still empty. I looked at the horizon and decided it had to be a few hours until dawn still. I stood and returned to the fighters guild to spend the rest of the night. There wasn't any point to waiting any longer.

When I knocked on Caius' door yet again the next morning, I was gratefully out of my party clothes. The long sleeves had served me well during the chill night, but with the sun shining, I prefered my less constricting commoners clothes. I'd armed up, bringing my orcish sword and bow. Despite all my preparations, Caius still wasn't home.

I turned around and leaned against the door, trying to plan my next move. The last mission I'd done for Caius was getting information from Hasphat and Hasphat had told me about another informant at the mages guild. I couldn't remember the name, but it was unmistakably orcish so I decided to follow that lead. I crossed town to the mages guild. I liked the mages guild hall. It was cool and dimly lit. They used candles rather than torches like the fighters guild hall next door. The feelings it gave me were subdued and it was the perfect environment for reminiscing on your studies.

I quietly made my way through to Ajira's workstation, hoping against hope that she'd be there, but it sat empty. I asked for Ranis and was directed to an upstairs office where the dark elf woman sat penning a letter. The upstairs office was dim in the candle light and Ranis' red eyes rose to see me crest the stairs. She glanced at my weapons.

"You look like you're ready to stir up some trouble. What's the occasion? Are you looking for work?"

"I'm looking for an Orc. You wouldn't happen to have an orcish guild member, would you?"

The edges of Ranis' lips turned down. "Ah, you must be referring to Sharn. You'll probably find her asleep. She's one of a few who prefer to perform their studies at night. If you need work though, I have a task that would fit you nicely. There's an Altmer guild researcher who needs an escort to Pelagiad."

"I'll keep it in mind, but I'm afraid I have a pressing issue at the moment."

Ranis nodded and dismissed me with a wave of her hand. I returned to the basement and found a female orc in one of the bunks. She had her black hair tied back and wore a simple brown robe. Two of her orcish teeth jutted out over her upper lip like most orcs.

I shook her gently by the shoulder. She awoke with an undignified snort and slowly sat up, bleary eyed. "Whad'ya want," she blurted?

"The Nerevarine cult. I want to hear what you know about it."

Sharns eyes snapped open and she looked upon me with suspicion, glancing around the room. "I don't know who you've been talking too, but they gave you bad information. Are you with the temple?"

I chuckled at her reaction. "No, not at all."

The orc looked at me hard. Slowly, she seemed to come to a decision. "Something you should know, that sort of information doesn't come cheaply and those who share it, do so at great personal risk. So it isn't something to be easily shared between strangers. There must be a relationship of trust first. You haven't even told me your name."

"It's Han-lu. I'm working for the fighters guild, but lately, I've been delving into Morrowind's history and culture. I feel like there are some important things happening right under our noses."

Sharn considered my explanation before replying. "One should not get too close to the fire, or they may be burned." I met her gaze and held it.

"I can take it. There must be some way you can trust me. Some way for me to prove myself."

Sharn slipped into a devious smile. "Some may not like to admit it, but aspiring mages always need help from discrete sources. Are you cut out for assisting with sensitive matters?" I nodded slowly, never breaking eye contact. "Good. I need the skull of Llevule Andrano from his ancestral tomb south of Pelagiad, no questions asked. If you can bring it to me, I'll tell you anything you want to know about the Nerevarine cult. That is my offer." She waved me away, assuring me that there would be no haggling.

I gave a casual salute and left her sitting on her bed. She was being wise. Grave robbery was a crime and she knew it. If I brought her the skull and ratted her out for speaking about the Nerevarine cult, she'd be able to accuse me. It was a fortunate opportunity though. If I was headed to Pelagiad, I could escort Ranis' guild researcher at the same time and make some money.


	32. Chapter 32 Itermerel Highfael

_Author's note. Here's a shout out to thunaer for following my story. Hope you enjoy it._

 _To keep you all up to date on the progress of my youtube channel, I started recording, but found that the current draft of my story does not read well out loud. You may have noticed I updated chapter one. This is because I went through and made some small changes to make sure the story would sound presentable out loud. The additional editing and recording and then video editing is sure to slow down writing progress a bit, but fear not. My rough draft is up to chapter 81, so I've decided that I'll at least try to post a new chapter every Saturday. I will be sure to let you know when my first video is uploaded and give you the channel name._

 _Big thanks to my long time readers and those who have helped by pointing out grammar errors and suggested corrections._

I found the mage I was looking for at the Eight Plates corner club. Itermerel was a tall high elf man with high styled blonde hair. He stood apart from the rowdy crowd in the taproom. It seemed a riverboat had arrived in town and a crew of eight, mostly dark elves, had come for food and drink. Two of them were embroiled in a rowdy wrestling match while the others cheered one side or the other. Itermerel himself had two books open along with a scattering of scrolls. He seemed to be cross referencing passages from books in languages I didn't even recognize. His eyes rolled up from his paperwork to watch my approach. "Please tell me you are my escort. I've had quite enough of this place and its rambunctious patrons."

I nodded, simply. I didn't have any armor to mark me as a mercenary, but my weapons marked me as more than a commoner. My response was enough to get Itermerel packing his things. He gently rolled the scrolls, closed the books, and packed it all away in a well crafted leather rucksack. He swung the pack over his green robed shoulders and looked to me. "Whenever you're ready."

I turned and left the club with the wizard on my tail. I was silent for a time and that seemed to suit the Altmer well. On the inside however, I was strategizing. After accepting the task, Ranis had elaborated a more nefarious goal for me to accomplish. I shouldn't have been surprised, I supposed. That was par for the course.

As we left the outskirts of Balmora and traveled along the Odai river, I made my first play. "Ranis tells me you're one of our foremost researchers on Oblivion and conjuration." He cocked his head at me in interest. It didn't strike me as a pose he assumed very often.

"Did she really? I wasn't aware she was even interested in my research, let alone, prone to give praise. How did that subject come up?"

I looked over to meet his eyes. He really was tall, having at least six inches on me. However, he was not well built. His robes hung loosely on his frame. "As a matter of fact, I'm an ardent student of conjuration myself. I may not be an expert, but I've done my share of reading about the oblivion planes."

Itermerel looked ahead with a smirk on his face. "No doubt your interests are limited to combat."

I frowned at his superior manner. "It is how I make a living. I suppose you can think of a better application for conjuration magic."

He huffed. "Small minds never change. You seek to summon a single creature or a weapon so you can win a skirmish. The difference between you and I is the same difference between your average dirt farmer and a plantation owner. Even the greatest of conjurers are limited by their own strength. I seek to draw strength from elsewhere and bend it to my will. Imagine if you were to be able to summon and control an army of daedra from oblivion. That's the difference between the guilds hired swords like you and famed researchers like me."

I said nothing, but tried to suppress a grin. Itermerel seemed to await a response, but turned to look back at me when none was forthcoming. His superior grin was replaced with a confused look. "What's so funny?"

I shrugged. "If your research is so powerful, why do you need a common sellsword to escort you between towns?"

Itermerel opened his mouth as if to reply, but came up short. "My research isn't complete of course. It isn't as if you can just command such forces on a whim. Like I said earlier, you have to harness a great source of power. That's what I've been working on lately. I'm in Morrowind to research Oblivion streams for the mages guild in Cyrodiil."

I decided not to press him further. I'd already knocked the superior look off his face and decided to bide my time. We walked past Fort Moonmoth and took the passage across the foyoda to Lake Amaya. Itermerel didn't speak beyond complaining about the humidity and the dust and the bugs and most any other minor inconveniences we chanced upon. I led him down the path to the edge of the lake, past where Ajira and I had met Dren's retainers watering their horses. It was here that I decided to pursue my true goal again.

"Hey, I don't suppose I could take a look at your report, could I? Surely, even in its unfinished form, there could be something that a journeyman like me could learn."

"Look, I don't mean to insult, but I've studied with the best minds in Tamriel. I have half a century of education in the world's center of knowledge under my belt. There's no way that someone with a few years of practical magic experience could comprehend the mysteries I'm unraveling. You may as well reach for a cloud."

I bit my lip. If I couldn't get him to show me the notes, this job was going to get nasty real fast. "Well now you've got my curiosity up. Just let me look them over once we get to the inn."

The wizard's face hardened. "Even if I wanted to, the information I have is for qualified eyes only, by order of my arch mage. I'm sorry, but that's not going to happen."

"Alright," I relented. "I wouldn't want to get in trouble with the guild."

"No," the wizard agreed. "You wouldn't."

I stared out at the lake for a moment, delaying my inevitable task. My feelings were conflicted. Part of me said that this was no different from any other job and that I should get it over with. Another part of me was hesitant, even regretful that I'd have to kill him. I thought of my mother, thinking I was dead and reminded myself that these jobs would pay to get me back to her. Still, I hated to end the researcher's life. It seemed different somehow, from when I'd killed alongside my parents. I shook myself and set my teeth. The path was winding near the lake now and it would be an easy place to dispose of the body.

I glanced ahead and behind and saw that there was nobody in sight to witness the crime. Itermerel looked at me. "What is it?"

I shook my head. "Thought I heard something." That little tidbit was enough to put him on edge. The high elf glanced behind us worriedly. That's when I drew my sword and with one swift motion, dealt a deep cut to his neck. From the bleeding, I'd hit an artery. He grabbed at the wound in surprise, desperately trying to stop the bleeding. I stood back to watch as he realized with horror just how bad the wound was.

I don't think he even knew any healing spells. He stumbled backwards, off the path and away from me. It didn't take long for him to collapse and lay still. I went to his robe to wipe the blood off my orcish sword before stealing his backpack. I checked his pockets, finding a purse with a decent amount of gold. Probably a stipend to fund his journey, I thought. I doggedly rolled the body into lake Amaya and pushed it out towards the middle. There were slaughterfish in these waters. The blood would attract them and the body wouldn't last long.

As soon as the body left my hands, I kept moving towards Pelagiad. I couldn't shake the feeling of filthiness that clung to me. It reminded me of the dream I'd had the other night where I'd been buried in piles of money.

I decided that from then on, I would be much more picky about the jobs I took. After I sold the dwemer artifacts to Ra'Virr, I'd be much closer to my goal and I wouldn't have to take any job I could get.


	33. Chapter 33 Tomb Raid

I stopped at the halfway tavern for lunch. I sat at a table in the corner until an Imperial woman asked what I was eating. I opened my mouth to answer, only then realizing that I had no appetite. I politely told her I didn't need anything and dumped Itermerel's pack on the table to sort through it. I set the books aside. Who knew whether they were worth anything? Instead, I focused on the many sheaves of paper inside. Most of which were notes and pamphlets on a number of subjects which I set aside, but one folder was clearly more important than the rest. It was tucked inside an oilskin covering. I untied the leather string holding it closed and looked at the report. It spoke of Oblivion streams and lots of complicated magic. I had to hand it to the old researcher. He'd been right. His research was far beyond my understanding.

In addition, he had a number of potions in his bag. I took two that were dyed blue for my own bag, knowing they were potions to speed the recovery of magic. The rest of the trinkets and instruments could be pawned. Much to my pleasure, I found a pawnbroker in town. I lied and told the store owner that I'd inherited the things from my father who'd just passed away. I didn't get much, seeing as I didn't know what half of it was for. The remaining potions were the only valuable things. After pocketing the change, I left the shop and consulted my map where I'd marked the location of the tomb I had to raid for the Orc.

The Andrano family tomb was only a stone's throw south of Pelagiad, so I made my way there immediately. The sky was overcast, but no rain fell at the moment. With each step, I wondered what the Orc could want with a skull, or for that matter, why she wouldn't have gotten it herself. After all, it was just a dusty old tomb, right?

I was fifteen minutes out of town, just past some farmers fields when I spotted the entrance to the tomb at the base of a hillside. The door was wood with a smooth finished adobe frame like the buildings in Balmora and the path out of town led right past it. I checked my surroundings, making sure nobody was watching before darting to the door. I lifted the heavy iron latch and swung it open, hurriedly closing it behind me. Just enough light shone from the cracks at the edges of the door to show me a dark empty stairway leading downward. A torch hung on the wall and a flint and steel striker sat on a shelf next to it. I took the flint and steel, striking them together at the torch, hoping it wasn't too old to burn. I was rewarded with a growing flame that lit the way for me.

I slipped the firestarters into my pocket, thinking they might come in handy for somebody with no skill for destruction magic. I hesitated, staring down into the cold damp below. The sound of the wind whistled from the door behind me, but I could swear I could hear something down below too. I shuddered. "It's just an empty tomb." I told myself again. However, I couldn't force myself to believe it. I came to a decision, and left my cumbersome bow and quiver at the top of the stairs. I then drew my orcish sword in my right hand, holding the torch in my left and slowly descended into the tomb. The entire tunnel was made of adobe with no outer dirt or rock poking through. Wooden beams supported the structure.

The stairs ended in a long room with one door on each end and one across from the stairs. The only decorations were tables lining the walls with rows and rows of urns. I stopped, the light of the torch flickering. "If the local dunmer cremate their dead, why would the orc think there would be a skull in here?"

My attention was stolen by a light clattering sound like dry wood on dry wood. It came from the door across from the stairs. I approached it cautiously. My breathing was forced as I tried to keep my nerve. With my sword arm, I lifted the latch and cracked the door open. The torchlight revealed a skeleton, standing upright with its back to me. A rusty old sword hung from his right hand and an ancient looking round shield from his left. A small circle of stones was built just beyond him holding what I assumed to be ash.

I concentrated on the skeleton. I needed to search the room, so naturally, I had to kill it. 'There's no reason my weapons shouldn't work,' I thought. The orcish steel would break bones just fine. It wasn't like this was a spirit that would require a purer material to banish.

The skeletons head rotated with the creaking sound I'd heard earlier. There was no cartilage to cushion the movement so the rasp was purely bone on bone. It seemed to have noticed the light and was turning towards me.

I flung the door open and rushed the creature. I brought my sword in an upward arc, hoping to chop the lower spine in two. It brought its shield to bare before I could strike and my sword clanged loudly off its edge. The creature followed up with a hiss and a sideways swing. I used the heavy wooden handle of the torch to block the dull old sword. It's edge stuck fast in the wood and I was able to yank the weapon from his weak grip. I dropped the torch to the floor and kicked the heavy shield flat footed. The creature recoiled and I struck low, chopping the leg at the knee. It tumbled to the floor and I stomped its exposed rib cage, shattering the brittle bones. The frame lost any sign of animation and lay still, the round shield clattering to the ground.

I picked up the torch, prying the sword from its handle and whipped around, making sure the rest of the room was clear. Once I was sure I was alone, I turned to the altar of ash. A few dried herbs and trinkets surrounded the pile, but I couldn't see anything of obvious value. I ran my sword through the pile, hoping the skull might be buried, but there was nothing but ash.

I turned to the dead bonewalker. "I don't suppose you're Llevule Andrano, are you?" I shook my head. I'd read about ancient cultures using necromancy to guard their tombs, but I'd assumed the practice had been long abandoned. Not here obviously. I scanned the room once more, finding nothing but the tables of urns.

I left the room, leading the way with the torch and hoped that reanimated skeletons were the worst I'd encounter. I tried the door to the right of the stairs, once again cracking it open to peek inside. Something thunked heavily into the door frame and I recoiled at the sudden noise in the quiet. I cracked it open further to see a skeleton with a bow, drawing an arrow from a quiver.

Instead of charging it, I withdrew behind the door, leaving it open. As I hoped, it pursued me. When it stepped into the doorway, I threw my weight into the door and crushed the skeleton in the door jam. I smashed the door closed multiple times, making sure to disable my opponent before swinging it open to see the broken bones at my feet.

I caught the sight of a dark shaft dart through the doorway and felt pain bloom in my chest. I recoiled backwards a pace at the pain, feeling the sword catch in my rib and then dart back. I hadn't noticed the second bonewalker in time to avoid the wound. The skeleton followed me, but lost his footing at the threshold, tripping on his companion's remains and giving me just enough time to square off. I ignored the wound for the moment, fully experiencing the sting and the wetness of welling blood.

The skeleton hid behind his shield, keeping the sword next to it in a position to stab at me. The tip was red and wet with my blood. The torchlight reflected off it with a sickly glow. I circled to his left, avoiding the sword and probing for a weakness in his defense. The creatures attention remained on me as if eyes still filled its sockets. The dry teeth rattled together as it scraped its jaw from side to side. I once again kicked the shield flat footed, trying to knock him off balance. It took the strike by shuffling back to absorb the blow and swung at my leg with the sword, just missing as I withdrew.

I swung the iron sconced torch like a makeshift mace and landed a hit on the skull while his sword arm was extended. He stumbled against the wall and swung crosswise at my midsection, forcing me to retreat again.

I shuffled back as he fell back into his defensive stance. I reached out with my sword to one of the tables and scooted a whole row of clay urns to the floor, some cracking and some shattering. I watched intently as he shuffled through the debris, hoping he'd stumble and give me an opening, but the bare bony feet stayed stable, scooting the clay fragments out of the way rather than walking over them. He backed me up to the stairs and I climbed them backwards, gaining height on him. I kicked at the shield again, bashing the sword aside with the torch and tackled him to the ground. I landed on him with his shield between us. As we connected with the floor at the bottom of the stairs, his ribs crunched and he became immobile.

I climbed off of him and looked to the wound over my heart. I'd gotten lucky with that strike. If he'd been a bit stronger, I'd have died very quickly. I guided my magic to the wounded area, making a mental note to buy potions to fight infection. I didn't like the thought of what that dirty old blade might have left inside me.

Once I'd staunched the bleeding, I stood to explore the room, ignoring the fact that my shirt was wet with blood. The room was more like a small balustrade over the room one floor below. A rotten stench drew my attention. There was nothing else on my level so I lowered the torch down towards the floor below. What I saw was a hulking mass of flesh that seemed to have broken bones sticking out of it. The creature was vaguely human in shape and shambled to the spot right under me. It turned its wretched face to moan at me. I gagged at the hideous thing and withdrew. I took the old bow from the smashed skeleton and hung the torch in a sconce. I drew a rusty old arrow from its quiver and shot it into the creature's face. It recoiled with a hellish shout of pain, before roaring at me. I took another arrow and placed it right next to the first.

The thing raised its hands towards me and sent a bolt of magic past my head. I ducked before loosing another arrow at it and drawing another. I crouched and made my way to a different spot to avoid getting hit by his mystery spell. As I popped up to take a shot, I could see another ash shrine on its level, lit with candles and decorated with a skull. I let the arrow loose, the creaky old wooden bow dutifully sending it on its way. The undead creature howled again. How many arrows would it take to kill the thing? I drew another, staying behind cover as a barrage of colorful bolts struck the room around me. There was a loud crack as the walkway under me was broken by one of the spells and I was dumped unceremoniously onto the lower floor in a pile of rubble. I landed painfully on my hip and looked up just in time to see the creature cast a spell on me. A red bolt hit me straight in the chest and my limbs turned to lead. I struggled to my feet feeling 200 pounds heavier. I drew my sword and heavily stepped towards the hulk. It was even uglier up close. It opened a fist, sending another bolt of magic at me. Too slow to dodge it, I prepared for whatever it may do. With horror, my vision went dark as my eyes stopped working.

I did the only thing I could think of. I scrambled over the rubble as best I could by feel, grabbing for my sword until I plowed into the creature. Ignoring the sharp pieces of protruding bone that poked me, I blindly chopped at him with my leaden sword arm. A huge fist smashed into my shoulder and I crumpled back into the rubble of the ruined walkway.

As soon as I could get my feet back under me, I made my way back to the creature. The heaviness in my limbs left me as suddenly as it came only for me to feel another bolt of magic to my chest. I felt tired in a different way now. My head swam and I felt uncomfortably hot.

I scrambled on hands and knees toward the creature, desperate to kill it. I couldn't take much more of this. I reached out with my empty left hand to locate the creature only to stab my palm painfully on a jagged piece of broken bone. I withdrew my left protectively while lunging forward with my sword, impaling the horrid beast.

I felt resistance as the tip of my sword caught on misplaced bones that shouldn't have been in the place they were. I braced my right hand with my now bleeding left and shoved on the sword with all my body weight, forcing it through the maze of human or elven remains. The creature howled weakly and seemed to collapse. I savagely withdrew the sword, placing one boot on the creature and prying the blade out. I then fell unceremoniously to the floor, unable to regain my balance without my sight.

I crawled to a corner, keeping my sword in hand and hyperventilated in the panic of the unknown. Surely my sight would return, right? I jumped at an echoing clatter, pointing my sword into the darkness. As the echo faded, logic returned to me and I decided it was just rock from the broken balustrade. In the quiet, my heart slowed and the sound of blood pounding in my ears faded.

I thought through what I knew of alteration magic. It was possible to curse someone and disrupt one of their senses, but it did wear off. I confirmed this by remembering Gildee in Suran and her charm spell. It was much the same principle. Once the magic behind the spell was spent, the spell would fail.

So I waited, and waited. Then I doubted myself and struggled not to panic before waiting some more. I finally rose to my feet, hugging the wall and did my best to search the room. I found the skull I'd spotted earlier. I could feel characters carved in the bone and decided that it had to be the right one, so I stuffed it in my bag. I then felt for the door, finding it closed and latched from my side. I left it latched, as it was my only defence against more attackers at the moment.

"Come on, come on, come on!" I whispered. I needed to be able to see. My words echoed slightly in the room before fading to silence. Complete silence. I frowned, listening for a specific sound. The flickering of a torch. I didn't hear it.

I curiously reached for the flint and steel in my pocket and struck them together, causing a bright shower of sparks to jump into my field of vision. I wasn't blind, the torch had just gone out. Feeling sheepish, I felt along the wall, hoping to find another torch. There were none. Instead, I went to the shrine where the candles had gone out. I took a sizable candle and the flint and steel, biting my lip. A flint wasn't designed to light a candle wick. It was designed to throw a spark into a nest of tinder or pitch, but at this point, I had to make it work.

I broke the candle, leaving short sticks of wax connected by the long wick. I broke away the wax piece by piece until I was left with the long string of the wick. I used two fingers to unbraid the fibers until I had created a small nest of frayed fibers. With the flint and steel, I struck sparks into the nest again and again until one of them caught the fibers and a small flame grew, casting the room in a dim light.

I hurried to light the other candles before tending to myself. My hand shook as I took one and desperately held it to the flame. My heart soared when the flame caught and I soon had a half dozen candles lit. Finally, I turned to my injuries. I had a couple of small stab wounds from the jagged pieces of bone sticking out of the creature. I healed them the best I could with the magic I had available. I'd left smears of blood on the walls and floor from my right hand while feeling my way around.

Now to look at my options. I glanced up at the walkway above. If I could climb up there, I could walk right out. The ledge was too high to jump, however, an ancient banner hung from it. I secured my sword and jumped, grabbing at the old cloth. It was far too old to support my weight though and it ripped away from its tethers. I tossed the useless cloth away, turning to face the door.

The problem was that there could and most likely would be more creatures out there. I drew my sword and unlatched the door, peeking through the crack. My hand shook this time. It shook worse than it had in the dwemer ruins. Chills ran down my spine and I dreaded what I might find.

To my relief, the hall was empty, save for a torch on the wall. I ran to it, held the candles flame to it, and traded up.

Up ahead, there was a spot that seemed to resist the illumination of the torch. An inky blot floating in the air. As I inched forward, the mist seemed to pull together and slowly coalesced into the shape of a person. I sprinted past before it had a chance to do anything else. "Nope!" I yelled. "No way!" I'd never encountered a ghost before and I I was unprepared to deal with one now. My sword wouldn't have any effect on it as it was a spirit with no body. If I could conjure a weapon, I could fight it, but my magic wasn't as reliable as it used to be. That said, I kept running. There was a room with two skeletons in it which I promptly skipped by sprinting up the stairs on the other side. To my great relief, their efforts to follow where hampered by slow movement. "Just try to follow you arthritic…" I was cut off when I found a door at the top of the stairs. I went for the latch, but to my horror, the thing was locked.

I dropped my sword and torch, grabbing my knife and the lockpick I'd stolen in Seyda Neen. I only had one and there wasn't much time. I could hear bones creaking after me. I stuffed my equipment into the lock and started prodding. Oh it had been so long since I'd properly practiced this. I added lockpicks next to anti infection potions on my shopping list when I felt a sharp snap and a pang of horror. I looked down in shock at the broken lockpick in my hand. This place was a trap. It was meant to lure people in and trap them down here.

"Oh Azura, give me a break!" I screamed in frustration, throwing the broken pick down the stairs. I turned to see a couple skeletons rounding the corner, spears in hand. I took up my sword and torch again, banging them together loudly to rally my courage. I roared a challenge at the top of my lungs to the undead warriors, not knowing if they were even capable of feeling fear. "Come on then! Kill me if you can!"

The undead advanced, unwavering. What they lacked in strength and agility, they made up for in blind obedience. Suddenly, the door behind me swung open loudly and I was yanked through by my collar. I sprawled on the floor in the next room while Caius Cosades relatched the door. He held the latch down in case the skeletons tried to follow.

"Move kid. Your things are at the top of the stairs."

I scrambled up the stairs and out into the fresh air, grabbing my bow and quiver from where I'd left them.

Caius flew up the stairs behind me, wearing cheap commoners clothing and a wide straw hat. We stared at each other for a moment, trying to catch our breath. Caius got ahold of himself and rose to his full height, looking down on me with a heavy gaze. "We've got a lot to discuss boy."


	34. Chapter 34 Lecture

Caius had his own bag stored nearby. He collected it and returned to where I was sitting, staring at the ground. Something bumped against my temple and I realized he was holding out a potion. I took it and drank it in good faith. He'd proved that he wasn't out to hurt me, at least not outright. After taking a swig, I looked up at him.

"How'd you find me? It's starting to seem inhuman how you always know where I am."

He shook his head. "A better question is what were you doing in a tomb? The local Dunmer don't take kindly to grave robbery. Speaking of which, we should be on our way before somebody sees us here." The middle aged man offered a hand, pulled me to my feet, and started west at a quick pace.

"Actually, I was there for you. The Orc requested that I bring her a skull in exchange for information on the Nerevarine cult."

Caius slowed to a walk on hearing about the skull. "Did you get it?" I nodded. "Show me," he demanded. I slipped the clean carved elven skull out of my bag. Caius took one look and shook his head. "Great, now I have to worry about having an aspiring necromancer in my city."

"Speaking of which," I interrupted. "What gives with the undead in the tomb? I thought necromancy was illegal in the Empire. Why do these people get a free pass on using it to guard their tombs?"

"Well, you're asking the right person. Why do they get away with slavery when that's outlawed in every other province? The truth is that Vvardenfell is so isolated, the Empire would be kicked out in revolution if we didn't make some concessions to the nobility. If you asked the Dunmer politicians, they'd babble on about their right to tradition and if you asked the legionnaires, they'd probably use the blight as an excuse for not having the reinforcements to enforce Imperial law to the T, but neither of those are quite true."

I nodded and contemplated whether or not to ask my next question. "So, theoretically speaking, if I were to use necromancy, would I get in trouble for it?"

Caius sighed. "The Dunmer only use necromancy to guard their tombs. Don't push your luck boy." He tightened the drawstring on his straw hat. "The best way to stay safe in Morrowind is to avoid attracting attention, unlike what happened at the Dren's harvest party." I bit my lip and avoided his gaze. "I don't think you realize how much extra work it caused me when that nobleman recognized you. You blew your cover."

"Look, it's not like I could have known that would happen," I snapped. "I never would have suspected anyone to recognize me."

Caius nodded. "Of course. Canctunian Ponius is his name. The Emperor assigned him to oversee the running of the East Empire Trading Company here in Vvardenfell. He accepted the position knowing he'd be stuck here until the quarantine was over. Running into him was just sheer bad luck, but it's still something we need to discuss. Now some important people know your connection with the Emperor. It may complicate your future dealings with them."

I chuckled. "Honestly, the less I have to deal with the Dren's, the better. They're shady characters if I ever met any."

"I'd tend to agree, but we don't always have the luxury of choosing who we must deal with. From now on, you should probably avoid giving out your name when you can help it."

"Agreed." I felt a wet raindrop hit my head and looked up to the cloudy sky. The wind had picked up and was bringing heavy clouds.

"Han lu," Caius spoke somberly. "Is Itermerel dead?"

I looked over to see him stone faced, staring at the trail ahead. He gave away no emotion. I considered lying, but got the feeling that he already knew. "Yes. Ranis wanted his research and he wouldn't give it up."

Caius hung his head, the straw hat dripping rain. I expected some sort of backlash, but he simply said, "I'm disappointed. His daughter will be too." Now he turned to look at me, genuine sadness in his eyes. "One day, you're going to have to start considering the consequences of your actions. Other people's lives matter too."

He turned to the path ahead, becoming muddy with rain. "I need to part ways here, but I'll be back in Balmora soon. I hope you'll have some interesting reading material for me." He turned from the road and headed south on a small path leading over the mountain towards Seyda Neen. I kept walking, feeling about two feet tall. I couldn't help but dwell on my immoral conduct. How could I be so callous?

I didn't even jump as lightning sent a loud boom across the landscape. It seemed like only Imperials had the charisma to cut me down to size and curse them, they were very good at it.


	35. Chapter 35 Long Day

I did my chores dutifully once I got back to Balmora. I gave Muzgob the skull and left her to write out a report for Caius and I. Ranis took Itermerel's notes in exchange for a few hundred coins, never once asking of his fate or welfare. Never before had blood money weighed on my conscience and the struggle to put it out of my mind was miserable. The only thing that made me happy was that Ajira was back. I found her mixing herbs and boiling test tubes. I watched her silently for a short while, unbeknownst to her. She hummed happily with that slight purr that Khajiit have and it put my mind at ease. It reminded me of my childhood years when mother would hold me and hum or sing after I'd suffered a nightmare.

Ajira noticed me shadow the doorway of her warm little alchemy lab and turned to me with a strange look. She eyed the hole in my shirt which was also soaking wet from the rain. "Han lu, what happened to you?"

I gave her a weak smile and shuffled close giving her a little hug. I wanted to let the dam of my emotions break, but I just said, "It's been a hard day."

She stiffened at the contact and slowly returned my hug, patting my back awkwardly. "Ajira is, um, sorry to hear that." She withdrew as soon as soon as she could without seeming rude and offered me a seat, politely ignoring the fact, I'd gotten her robe damp. "Ajira has good news for you though. Ajira has the ingredients and the mark and recall potions will be done soon."

I nodded tiredly. "Good. I guess it's almost time for me to find a smuggler then."

Ajira sat at her bench and concentrated on her work. I just watched without intruding, sinking into my seat. "I envy you, you know." The words slipped out of my mouth unchecked. Once again, she gave me that strange, disbelieving look.

"What does Ajira have to be envious of?" She asked curiously.

"A clear conscience," I replied. "You sit here mixing your potions without a care or worry. I wish I could do that. I always have something calling me back to the dark desperate acts that make me a living."

Ajira's ears laid back against her head while she pondered this. "It's not true that Ajira has no cares. Ajira has to concentrate on what she wants. Ranis wants Ajira to help in her plots. Before Ajira left home, her father wanted her to be an acolyte of Akatosh. Ajira does not care for these things. She only wants to understand the world around her. Actually, she envies you Han lu. You are strong enough to fight when people want you to do things for them. No one can tell you what to do."

I bowed my head. "I used to think that was true. The fact is, the stronger you get, the stronger people who want to control you. Maybe I should just take up a simple profession like you. Then all the overlords would lose interest. Better yet, I wouldn't have to kill."

Ajira shrugged. "Who is to say for sure. Ajira just can't imagine she would regret being stronger. That doesn't mean you have to use your strength all the time."

I watched as her beakers boiled a strange pink solution. "What will you do when you get home Ajira?"

"Ajira will continue her studies," she answered without delay. "Cyrodiil has a much greater appreciation for study and research than Vvardenfell. She will travel and continue to understand alchemy better. What about you Han lu? Will you continue your secret plots?"

I shook my head. "Once I find my mother, I'm going straight. We have plenty of hidden money to live on, so I won't need to worry about making a living. Maybe I'll just travel with you."

Ajira considered this. "It's not a bad plan. You are a good one to have around Han lu." I kept comfortable in my chair and my eyes began fluttering closed. "Perhaps you should get to bed. Ajira will have these ready for you tomorrow, ok?"

I nodded and lifted myself from the chair. The mages guild was quiet with most of the members bedding down for the night. I slipped out and went next door to find most of the fighters guild up carousing. Wayn waved me over when he saw me.

"Han lu, you missed the good news."

"Oh," I said tiredly, stretching while removing my bow from over my shoulder. "What's that?"

Eyedis held up an envelope. "Orvas Dren made a better offer. Some thief made off with a personal letter and he didn't have enough people to track them down. He sent a message for us to help and as you said, his offer was much better than before. All we have to do is give it to a courier tomorrow."

"Glad to hear it worked out," I said through my foggy mind. I was still sleepy from sitting in Ajira's cozy lab. "Oh, do me one favor. Leave me out of the Dren jobs."

Eyedis eyed me, confused. "We can talk about it later," she insisted, trying to avoid making a scene.

"Not if I can help it," I mumbled out of earshot, stumbling down toward the bunkrooms.

"Hey, aren't you going to come join us for a pint," someone called after me?

"Not tonight," I called back. I was not in the mood for celebration tonight. The only thing I wanted was sleep. As I laid my bag and weapons next to my bed and collapsed on the sheets, the last thought that crossed my mind was to remember to buy a new shirt.

I must have woken later on because I was aware when the others came to bed down. I drifted off again easily enough. However, I woke up again later, feeling feverish and sweaty. My eyes opened and I immediately realized what was wrong. I hadn't gotten any potions to fight infection. I threw my covers off groggily and stumbled upstairs to where we kept a water barrel. I grabbed a semi clean mug and drained it.

One candle was lit, sitting on the table. I moved it closer and tugged my shirt off over my head to examine my healing injuries. Thanks to my magic and Caius' potion, the skin was well on the way to mending, but it was turning an irritated red where the bone creature had poked me. Who knew what sort of diseases such a monster carried?

Thanks to my negligence, I was now coming down with a fever. I had to be sure to take care of myself tomorrow.

The candle flickered and went out and I noticed a cold evening breeze blowing through the guild hall. I slipped the ragged shirt over my head and found the front door hanging open. I approached it slowly, peeking out at the empty street before closing it.

"That's strange," I mumbled, turning back to the bunk room when I heard a chair fall over upstairs followed by a scuffle. I ran up to Eyedis' office to find her picking herself up off the floor, clutching a dagger in her shoulder. "What happened," I asked, scanning the room? A shot of adrenaline drove any memory of illness from my mind and I noticed her door hung open.

"Thief!" She grunted, pained, but no less determined. "Get after him, he stole the letter!"

I dashed for the door and into the rainy street in bare feet. I looked up and down the street for the thief and caught a glimpse of somebody running south to the market square. I gave chase, ignoring the flu-like aching in my muscles. The figure turned a corner, but I was just as fast. He tried losing me through an alley. We passed a handful of clay pots and I grabbed one of the heavy lids on a whim and chucked it at the thief. The clay sphere struck him in the back and threw him off balance.

He tripped and fell just long enough for me to jump on top of the wet cloaked mass. He struggled and tried to fight me off, but his hands were trapped in his wet cloak. I took the opportunity to wrap one arm around the struggling neck and push his head forward with the other. I squeezed just long enough for the thief to lose consciousness before releasing.

"I really am not in the mood for this," I groaned. "Now I've got to drag your carcass all the way back to the guild. Can't I catch a break?" I flipped the thief over and got quite the surprise. Not only was the thief female, I recognized her as none other than Safia Dren. I knelt down next to the unconscious girl. "Well that complicates matters." I shook my head before deciding on a course of action. I searched her, finding the letter and another dagger strapped to her wrist under her sleeve. I took both and dragged her under an awning. We were in the alley next to Ra'Virr's shop. I propped her up against the wall and waited, sitting on a crate.

She slowly came to her senses. I waited until she realized who I was and flashed the dagger at her. "You don't wear cloaks when you're sneaking indoors. They just get in the way. Maybe if there had been a crowd to blend into outside, it would have made sense. You have a lot to learn." She felt the pocket I'd taken the letter from. I happily waved it at her. "Now this is quite the conundrum. We retrieve a letter for your father and you try to steal it before we can give it back. I can't imagine why, but I get the feeling I know how he lost it in the first place."

She went to rise, but I pointed the dagger, warning her to stay put. "Look Han lu," she reasoned with wide eyes, "there's more at play here than you know. I need that letter."

"Well I figured that much out already," I said, almost in a taunt. "What I don't know is why I should care. If it were anyone but you, I'd have dragged them back to the guild and had the guards arrest them by now. The fact that it's you gives me pause. If I turned you in, it could sour my guilds relationship with your father. So rather than turn you in, I'm giving you the chance to explain yourself. The way I see it, there are two possibilities. Either he sent you to steal it so he either didn't have to pay us or could negotiate our prices back down, or you're trying to steal the letter to sabotage him, though I can't imagine why."

I heard voices in the market and dropped down next to Safia so I'd be concealed from the street by the crates, still holding the dagger close. "Which one is it Safia, because unless you talk to me, you're all out of bargaining chips."

She glanced at the dagger before meeting my eyes. Hesitantly, she spoke. "My dad is not the good nobleman he makes out to be. He may have the whole world fooled, but I know he does terrible things."

"Again, I figured as much," I countered, cutting her off. "Now tell me why this letter is so important." The flicker of torches illuminated the alleyway for a moment as someone briefly checked over it before moving on. In the brief light, I was able to make out a desperate expression on Safia's face and she no doubt made out the fatigue on mine.

Before answering she leaned forward, "Can you keep a secret?"

I cutely crossed my heart with the dagger and held up one hand as if making an oath.

"The truth is, my father runs a crime organization called the Camonna Tong. They smuggle moon sugar, skooma, and other contraband, including slaves. I'm part of an organization trying to combat them. That letter has the decryption to the codes he uses in his shipping manifests. If I can get that letter, we can find out what he's sending and where he's sending it to. It would be a major blow."

I nodded, considering. I fell back from my kneeling position and leaned against a crate. Safia pressed her case, tension obvious in her voice. "Han lu, I don't know how you feel about drugs and slavery, but I'm asking you to help me."

I sat in silent consideration, tapping the flat of the dagger against my knee and staring her in the face. I felt like every thought took longer than it should have. My tired side wanted me to just give her the letter, but if I returned it to the fighter's guild, Eyedis would definitely cut me in on the reward. Safia met my gaze with something next to fervor. My mind started to wander from my task and I noticed how her smooth bluish skin caught the moonlight. I had to shake myself back to task. I had an idea that could benefit us both, but it would require a lot of effort and a very long night for me.

"I can help you, but I want something in return." Her red eyes narrowed. "I don't care about this island, its politics, or its people one way or another. I intend to leave it as soon as possible. I'll give you the letter back on condition that you and your organization find me a smuggler who can get me back to the mainland. I assume you have a few contacts in that area." Safia nodded hopefully. "Okay, we'll make the exchange tomorrow morning. I'll meet you at the riverside diner at about nine." I stood to leave.

"Wait!" Safia demanded. "Can't you give me the letter now?"

I gave a long suffering sigh. "No, that would ruin everything. There's much to be done first." She stood, giving me a hard stare. "You'll thank me later, I promise. Now go."

She hesitated, but I still had the dagger at the ready. I could tell she was trying to decide whether she could take it by force. In response, I stood to my full height and met her gaze with a challenge. She backed down and backed away, disappearing around a corner.

When I was alone, standing barefoot in a cold dark alley, I let out a sigh. It would have been so much easier to let her have the letter and return to Eyedis empty handed. Now, I had a lot to do.


	36. Chapter 36 Forgery

First things first. With Safia gone, I tucked the stolen letter into my shirt and crossed town to Caius Cosades house. I knocked on the door and a few moments later, it cracked open just enough for the old man to see me through the crack. He then closed it, unhooked the chain and swung it wide, inviting me inside. To my surprise, there were no complaints about the time. I suppose a spymaster would be used to late clandestine meetings.

"Han lu, where are your shoes?"

I chuckled tiredly. "I kind of left the guild hall in a hurry."

He nodded. "What can I do for you?"

"Well, long story short, I have to forge a copy of a letter and I can't return to my guild until morning. I was hoping to borrow a pair of shoes, a good shirt, and about thirty septims. I can pay you back in the morning, I promise."

Caius laughed heartily. "Believe it or not, that's not the strangest request I've had at this time of night. Have a seat by the fire, I'll get what you need."

I thanked him before settling into one of his large chairs. He had books scattered everywhere.

"So may I ask if this is related to the Blades or is it an... extracurricular activity?" Caius asked.

"It's kind of for the fighters guild. Tell me Caius, do you know what group could be fighting the Camonna Tong?"

"Of course. The only group who'd be so brazen is the thieves guild. They've come in from Cyrodiil and they're trying to move in on Camonna Tong turf."

"Well, I guess I'm doing it for them," I mused. "What time is it by the way?"

"Oh, probably between three and four."

Caius tossed me a pair of simple shoes and a blue shirt. "Thanks." I slipped the shoes on while Caius sat across from me with a pouch of money. When I took my shirt off, he frowned at the swollen spots on my chest.

"What's with the sores," he asked?

I glanced down at my wounds before answering. "Oh, it was this disgusting bone creature in the tomb. I got jabbed a couple times and I forgot to disinfect it before healing."

He set the money on a table and went to a corner. He knelt and pulled up a floorboard, taking a potion bottle from a hidden stash. "Here, this will help with the infection, but you should seek proper healing."

I sat and sipped slowly at the bland, thick mixture. "Thanks Caius."

"I've got to keep my agents on their feet, don't I?" He set a sack of gold down next to me. "That's your payment for the Orc's job. It ought to cover your expenses for whatever you need. I assume you'll have some intelligence for me soon."

"Tomorrow."

Caius nodded. "Keep the shirt and shoes and good luck with your project."

I scooped up up the gold and saluted the spymaster. "Divines know I could use some good luck."

He saw me to the front door and I set out to do some late night shopping. The next morning, Safia found me asleep at a table at the Riverside dinner. I was slumped over a couple pieces of paper and a random book, I'd purchased. Thank Azura, I'd had the good sense to stopper my ink bottle before laying my head down to rest, because I'd tipped it over in my sleep.

I awoke with a start when she shook my shoulder. I jerked awake and looked around in disorientation. It took me a moment to realize where I was. Safia perched lithely on the chair across from me in expensive looking travel clothes. Her expression was serious, but I caught a brief glimpse of concern.

"You don't look very good Sera."

I rubbed my eyes and tried to clear my head. "I'm sick, injured, and got next to no sleep last night." I added a note of exaggerated enthusiasm to my tone. "It can't be helped though. I can't expect your guild to schedule your robbery attempts at my convenience."

Safia gritted her teeth, glancing at the rest of the breakfast crowd. "I'll thank you to keep your voice down. This isn't a private venue."

"Right, right," I agreed dismissively, waving a hand in the air. "Down to business then. The reason I couldn't just give you the letter yesterday was because if your father had any reason to believe the code in this letter had been stolen, he'd use a new code and all your efforts would be for nothing. What you need is a double bluff. You need to read the letter to learn what's inside and return it to Orvas without breaking the wax seal. That, however, would be impossible."

Safia nodded curiously and patiently. "So what you need," I continued, "Is a perfect copy." I took the two envelopes I'd fallen asleep on top of and handed both to her.

She glanced at me while opening them and comparing them side by side. Her mouth hung open slightly. "Why, they're almost identical."

I nodded tiredly. "Close enough to pass your father's inspection I think. I've had lots of practice forging handwriting, so the hard part was finding the envelope, ink, and paper to match the original." I gestured at the book on the table. It was called, The Pilgrim's Path. "I've never read it, but the book is mass produced and uses cheap paper, much like what is used for stationary." I opened the book to show her one of the blank pages in the front I'd carefully removed for use on the letter.

"Honestly, I was lucky. There are two pawn shops in town, both of which are open all night and between the two of them, I found everything I needed. Well... except one thing."

Safia glanced up from her letters, her face on the verge of awe. "What was that?"

I held up a finger. "What's the one thing on here I wouldn't be able to replicate?"

She studied the pages for a moment and then realized what I was talking about. She instead picked up the envelope from the original letter, brushing a finger over the broken wax seal. "My father's signet?" She looked up at me to confirm her guess.

I shot her a tired but winning smile. "I don't suppose you could help me out with that, could you?"

Slowly, she reached for a leather cord around her neck and laid it on the table. A ring hung on the cord with an artful little design carved into its face. A signet ring, I knew, was carved with a family's crest. It was used on official documents, making an imprint on the wax seal to confirm that it was sent from someone of the proper family.

I reached for my pocket and drew out a small purple candle, matching the color of the wax seal. "I don't suppose you know any fire magic do you?" I offered her the wick and she reached out towards it. The tip caught fire. "Put the letters away for me, would you?"

She did so as I held the candle, trying to pool the melting wax. She slid me the forgery and I dripped the wax over the lip of the envelope. Before the seal could cool, I took her ring and carefully pressed the signet into the soft wax, leaving the impression of the Dren family crest. I withdrew the ring, careful not to rip the seal from the paper. I then set the letter aside, handed her the ring and her dagger from last night. I kept the forgery and she held onto the original with the broken seal. I met her gaze seriously. "Do you have a smuggler for me?"

She took a moment to respond, as if deep in thought. "We have a member who can get you passage on a smuggling vessel. Her name is Addhiranirr. You can find her around the Foreign Quarter in Vivec. We've sent her word to expect you, but you'll still have to pay your way."

I nodded. "I've got that covered." I looked around to find the waiter, but noticed the look Safia was giving me. It was like she was seeing me for the first time. "What is it," I asked?

"Well, it's just unfortunate that you're leaving. I get the feeling my superiors would very much like to recruit you. You're obviously a skilled agent."

I chuckled. "I appreciate the compliment, however, I'm hoping to get out of the espionage business. You're about two weeks too late. However, I don't suppose you'd like to join me for breakfast?" I raised and lowered my eyebrows at her.

She responded with a small laugh. "Wish I could, but due to your forgery plan, I'm running a few hours behind schedule." She stood packing away her things. "I do have one question though. Why make a perfect copy of the letter when you could have just copied the information for us and put the original letter in a new envelope?"

My mouth hung agape as my exhausted mind followed her train of logic, my expression becoming gradually crestfallen. My mind had been so debilitated, I hadn't even considered the simpler possibility. "I just wasted a whole night when I could have been asleep." I rested my head in my hands, sulking over my oversight. "I'll never get those hours back."

Safia patronizingly patted my shoulder as she passed. "Talented perhaps, but not the sharpest tool in the shed. If it's any consolation, it is a very nice copy and I'm sure my father will appreciate it." I glanced up to see her grinning at me. "I don't suppose I have to ask you not to mention my involvement," she said.

I pinched my lips closed with two fingers and raised my hand as if in solemn oath, drawing a grin out of the girl. She departed, saying, "I wish you safe travels, Han lu. Almsivi be with you."

I turned to watch her leave. She flipped her hood up and seemed to melt away into the crowd. Or maybe my vision was blurring. I blinked several times. Yep, my vision was definitely blurring.

Deciding to skip breakfast and go back to sleep without delay. I took the forged letter, abandoning the rest of my supplies. I stumbled a lot as I made my way back towards the guild hall until I finally had to stop to rest against a building. My head started swimming and suddenly I found myself laying with my cheek on the cobblestones. Somebody shook my shoulder.

"Hey, are you alright?"

I tried to speak and was able to mutter, "Fighter's guild." A few minutes later, I was being carried. I looked over to see Wayn and Eyedis hauling me back to the guild by my shoulders. Wayn noticed I was awake.

"Han lu, are you with me? We spent all night trying to find the thief. Did he get you? Are you poisoned?"

I shook my head weakly. "Just sick." I was able to slip my hand in my shirt and pull out the letter. Eyedis gasped when she saw it.

"How did you get that back?" I let my head loll forward as if losing consciousness. I couldn't lie right now. I was in no state to make up a good story. Instead, I let them take me back to the guildhall.

"Ajira." I croaked.

"What?" Wayne asked?

"Ajira," I repeated.

"I think he means the Khajiit healer next door," Eyedis concluded. They dragged me in the front door of the fighter's guild. "Fasile," Eyedis ordered. "Go to the mages guild and bring their healer."

I drifted in and out of consciousness as they put me in my bed. Once my head hit the pillow, I was out like a light. I awoke in a cold sweat with a dry throat. I cracked my eyes open to see Ajira talking to Eyedis in the doorway.

"Water," I croaked.

They both glanced at me. Eyedis brought me a drink while Ajira sat down across from me. Her cat eyes met my tired, red ones. "What exactly caused the wounds on your chest?" The Khajiit asked.

I took the water from Eyedis and drank slowly, trying to think through my feverish haze. I could admit to Ajira that I'd robbed a grave, but I wasn't sure I could trust Eyedis. Would she frown upon such a crime?

When I finally did speak, it was in a croak. "It was this awful bone creature on the edge of the ashlands. An ash storm had just kicked up and it tackled me out of nowhere."

Eyedis sat back and didn't press for details. "Well, you'll be happy to know that we were able to deliver that letter. The client was very pleased and I'd very much like to hear how you recovered it." Ajira shot her a look and Eyedis added, "Er, once you've had some time to recover of course."

"Of course," Ajira repeated in an irritated tone.

Eyedis nodded, finally getting the message. "I'll leave you to your work then, shall I?"

In a moment it was just Ajira and I in the bunk room. I laid back and gathered my thoughts, but she broke the silence first. "Han-lu's potions are finished." She removed four stoppered glass vials from her satchel.

"Perfect." I drawled, trying to pull myself together. "Will you put them in my bag? My wallet's there too. Just take what I owe you." She did so and fell silent. When I opened my eyes, she was sitting patiently, but on the edge of her seat with anticipation. "What?" I asked.

The cat leaned forward. "Now that you have them, how long before we can leave?"

I sighed tiredly. "Let's make a list. First I have to recover. Second, I need a day or two to complete the job I need the potions for. Third, I have to meet a contact who can put me in contact with a smuggler and I have to accomplish this without taking on more work or it will push us back further. Even worse, I have to keep from raising any suspicions that I'm leaving which makes it difficult to say no to jobs. Taking all that into consideration, it could be another week or two."

A catlike sigh escaped Ajira's lips. "Are you sure we can't leave any sooner."

I nodded tiredly, letting just a tinge of impatience into my voice. "I'm doing the best I can, okay? If I hurry anything along, I may be caught, or worse, killed. You aren't exactly doing the heavy lifting on this thing. Now if you want to go contact the smuggler, be my guest."

Ajira's hackles rose. "No, Ajira will just wait. Patiently." She added with emphasis.

"Good," I said, relaxing. "I'll get back to work as soon as I can get my feet under me. At the moment, my head's still spinning."

A warm paw pressed against my forehead. "Yes, you're still quite feverish, but with the potions Ajira has given you and some rest, you should recover soon. That being said, Ajira should leave you to sleep."

She stood and gathered the things she had brought with her into her alchemist's satchel. I rested my eyes and mind, not noticing when she left. My rest was not peaceful. My fevered mind drifted in and out of sleep, never really getting much rest. I don't know how much time had passed when I threw my covers off and snatched a bucket some thoughtful soul had left for me. My body heaved violently to empty my stomach, but very little came up. It was mostly bile, which I hastily rinsed away.

I tried to rest again afterward, but the room had become stuffy from the midday sun and the heat of my own body. I was forced out of bed. I dumped some water over my head and dressed, taking my sick bucket outside to empty. I was able to slip out passed Eyedis who was busy in her office. Once I was outside, the cool breeze, brought some of my sense back to me. The sky was abnormally clear except for some looming clouds in the horizon. It seemed the streets were packed with denizens of Balmora. I wondered why. Were they just enjoying the particularly sunny day? My answer came as I walked to the river to clean the bucket. A group of children ran passed me playing and a number of Dark Elves were working to string lanterns over the river across the whole waterfront. I remembered the Dren's party and it clicked.

"Oh, the harvest's end celebration. I wonder if that's tonight." On my walk I gathered that the celebration would last the whole week, not that it mattered to me. I planned on being very busy this week. After returning the bucket to the guild, I turned my thoughts to the tasks laid before me. There was no way I was making the journey to Arkngthand for the deal with Ra'Virr in my current condition. I had promised Caius some reading material though and all that required was a short walk. I entered the Mage's guild to find the Orc mage asleep. I nudged her awake and she shoved her report into my hands before sending me away with a hiss and curling back up on her bed.

I was all too happy to leave the grumpy Orc to her sleep. So I made my way across town to Caius' home, getting caught up in the revelry. True, the celebrations hadn't started, but there were wonderful smells from every kitchen, the men and women both showed off all sorts of fancy clothing making me feel underdressed. I wore the blue shirt Caius had given me along with my dark pants and leather boots. Common dress at best.

I put it out of my mind. I wasn't celebrating anything and beyond that, I was terribly sick. So, I took my time, breathed in the fresh air and enjoyed the sights until I arrived at my destination. I didn't come back to reality until I was invited inside. With Caius' door closed behind us, the old man awaited my delivery with greed. I took the roll of parchment from my bag and handed it over. Caius beckoned me to a seat while he paced back and forth reading aloud. The notes described in great detail the beliefs surrounding the "Nerevarine".

I only got a few details as I was drifting towards sleep, but the gist was that the ancient hero Nerevar had died long ago. The Temple celebrated him as a saint, but many members of the Ashland tribes held a belief that the hero was bound to be reincarnated. The temple held this as heresy which created a rift between the settled peoples of Vvardenfell and the Ashlanders. It was at this point the details bored me to sleep. It didn't last long however. I saw a face in the darkness of sleep. It looked like my own, but older and hardened. It spoke to me quietly. So quietly, I had to strain to hear.

When earth is sundered, and skies choked black,

And sleepers serve the seven curses,

To the hearth there comes a stranger,

Journeyed far 'neath moon and star.

Though stark-born to sire uncertain

His aspect marks his certain fate.

Wicked stalk him, righteous curse him.

Prophets speak, but all deny.

Many trials make manifest

The stranger's fate, the curse's bane.

Many touchstones try the stranger

Many fall, but one remains.

With that last line, a chill in my spine shook me awake and Caius' face was inches from mine. I froze in place, a feeling I couldn't place holding me to the spot. "You've done great work for me Han-lu, but I fear you don't understand the significance of these notes." His pores all seemed to glisten with a light sweat and his breathing was trembling and unsteady. "We walk the line of destiny as prophecy nudges us to keep us on the path. You can feel it can't you? As a chill down your spine and pins and needles along your skin. You can feel the thrill, can't you?"

I was silent, not knowing how to respond. At the moment, the room felt like the entire world to me. I could feel what he was describing. The thought crossed my mind that I should have been dead a number of times by now, yet, some guiding force had helped me overcome the odds. Still, so powerful was the feeling that had wrought upon me, I couldn't bring myself to answer him.

The spymaster withdrew and returned to his perusing. "Tell me Han-lu, do you have any suspicion of my goal here? Surely, you must have a theory as to why I have you gathering information on these things."

I cleared my throat. "I hadn't really thought about why. I'm just doing what the Emperor wants so I don't get executed."

"Hmm," Caius breathed with disappointment. "If the Emperor wanted an unthinking servant he'd have put you in some city guard. We are the Blades. Now tell me, what could our interest be in these legends and prophecies?"

I shook my head, reluctant to seek deep thoughts. "I don't know. To better control the people here?"

"Generally, yes, that wouldn't be inaccurate," he admitted. "But how would we go about doing so?"

I ran my hand through my sweat dampened hair. "Do you think it could be real? That this hero might actually be reborn?"

"Well, look at the prophecy I just read. Skies choked black could refer to the ash storms. Wicked stalk him, righteous curse him. Sharn's report just told us, the Ashlanders seek their returned hero and the Temple discourages the practice. If this figure were to appear, he could gather many supporters and enemies and throw the land into turmoil."

I made a connection in my head. "You're afraid someone is going to claim to be the Nerevarine. The Emperor sees it as a threat to his power. That's where your interest lies."

"Closer and closer Han lu. I want you to consider these things during your next job."

I groaned. "I'm in no condition to delve into another ancient ruin for mere scraps of information."

Caius chuckled. "Not so this time. These informants shouldn't need quite so much convincing and they are in Vivec, so if there are any problems you can always call for the guards to help. All it will take from you is some footwork."

With another groan, I gave into the inevitable. "Okay, who do I need to contact?"

"These contacts are people I've worked with before. The most important one is Mehra Milo. She is one of my agents, embedded in the Tribunal Temple." Caius waited for me to meet his gaze. His next words fell like hammer blows. "You mustn't blow her cover. You don't ask around for her. You will go to the library in the Temple under false pretenses. You will pretend to be studying until you see her. She is a dark elf woman with a very rare dark red hair, so you can't get her confused with another. She has a code word to let her know other agents in the field. It is Amaya, as in lake Amaya."

I listened carefully and made a mental note, thinking better of writing a sensitive code word down.

"The other two informants can often be found in the Foreign Quarter. One is an Argonian named Huleeya and the other a Khajiit named Addhiranirr." My memory flickered at the name and I had to keep a straight face as I realized it was the name Safia Dren had given me for my smuggler contact. 'Small world,' I thought to myself.

Caius continued, oblivious to my thoughts. "These two are not agents of mine, just contacts. Convince them to tell you what they know of the Sixth House and Nerevarine cults and keep track of your expenses. I'll reimburse them." The Spymaster paced back and forth seeming unusually diaphoretic and anxious. "Was there anything else?" He wondered aloud.

"Are you alright Caius? You seem a little on edge."

He glanced back to me dismissively. "Pay it no mind. I believe that's all I had for you."

Being the troublemaker I was, I didn't put my suspicions to rest. Instead I took a quick glance around the room, seeing nothing to make sense of his condition. I stood, letting my tiredness show and faced Caius, stepping a little closer than courtesy normally allowed. He turned to face me with slight anticipation and a questioning glance, but said nothing. I took the moment to look him in the eyes. His right pupil was dilated while his left was noticeably more constricted.

I confirmed my suspicions and chuckled. "You're high as a kite aren't you?" His frown was the only confirmation I needed. That explained his strange intensity a few moments ago. "Don't worry," I half assured, half teased. "A Blades agent knows how to keep a secret."

I left his home with new confidence. It had taken me a while, but I finally had some dirt on Caius, even if I didn't know how I could use it against him. I returned to the Fighters guild to sleep the sickness away with a bit more bounce in my step. I didn't plan on blackmailing Caius. I could only see that ending badly for me. Still, it felt good to get one up on him. It brought back feelings of the glory days, when I had been unstoppable.


	37. Chapter 37 The Temple City of Vivec

There was one delay to my rest. It seemed there was always another delay, another distraction. 'Perhaps,' I thought, 'Some God was trying to teach me patience.' However, thinking back on the line of events leading to this moment, I realized it was my own fault. When I'd let Safia Dren go and made a fake letter and hadn't returned to the Fighters guild till early morning, these deceptions inevitably led me to another lie I had to tell. Eyedis Fire-eye now stood before me with arms folded, aiming her expectant gaze at me. Contrary to her name, her eyes were a cold ice blue, I thought in my fevered musings. She cleared her throat bringing me back out of my haze. What had her question been? Oh right. How did I get the letter back?

"Well, after leaving your room, I chased the thief south, down the street and out the southern gate. She crossed the bridge toward Fort Moonmoth and I followed her."

Eyedis raised a brow. "How do you know it was a her?"

'Damn, I thought. "I'm getting to that part." I quickly thought up a trivial detail to give me time to think. "I think I could have overtaken her sooner, but I wasn't wearing any shoes. Anyway, I followed her past the fort and across that big bridge. I was able to make up the distance on the bridge because I wasn't stepping on rocks, but I didn't quite catch her. I was running out of breath and once the bridge ended I knew she'd lose me, so I threw a rock at her. It hit her in the back of the head and she collapsed. I didn't have much time to search her though. That bone creature thing was right off the side of the path. I turned her over and found the letter right before the thing rushed me. It poked me in the chest and I had to retreat. I healed the wound over with magic, but the infection set in fast. Who knows just what diseases those creatures carry?"

Eyedis stopped me. "Did you see anything on the thief that could identify her? The Dren's messenger seemed most interested and asked me to pass any information I could get on to them."

I struggled within myself. I had to throw them off the trail of Safia if I could, but at the same time, Eyedis had fought her if only briefly. She seemed to be under the impression that the thief had been a man, but that didn't mean she hadn't seen the red eyes. It would be easier if I could say it had been a human or something, but Eyedis might already know it had been a dark elf. I cursed myself for slipping up and giving away the gender. If only I was well rested. Thankfully, I had a moment to think all this through, while pretending to search my memory for the answer to her question. I rested my chin in my hand and tapped my lip theatrically. "I know she was a Dark elf. Other than that, it's difficult to say. She had darker skin like an ashlander, but I think that's all." That would hopefully be enough to throw them off of Safia's trail. Anyone who knew anything about Dunmer could tell at a glance that Safia was not an Ashlander. My cheeks seemed to burn as I considered her complexion..

Eyedis seemed to accept this, withdrawing into her own thoughts. "Very well. Why don't you get some rest? You look like you could use it."

I mentally praised Mephala that my clumsily crafted lies had been enough to convince the Nord woman. She was a warrior, not a plotter. Had it been Orvas Dren himself who had questioned me, it may not have gone so smoothly. With relief, I fell back into my bunk, still feverish, but I managed to take a nap. I awoke mid-evening and didn't feel like getting out of bed. I twisted and turned, but my mind remained active.

I sat up and turned to my equipment. I ran my thumb over the edge of my orcish sword, but my fight in the tomb hadn't blunted it at all. As for the bow, the limbs were in good condition, but the string was dry and starting to show fraying. I made a mental note to buy some wax to protect it. I'd normally have a new string made so I could replace it when needed, but I could do that once I was back in Cyrodiil.

After checking my weapons, I went through my satchel. It held the potions Ajira had made for me, a couple cloth sacks of gold, and the book I'd bought to copy the letter for Safia, The Pilgrim's Path. I picked it up curiously. I hadn't read any of it, I'd just bought it for the type of paper that it was made of. With nothing else to do, I cracked it open. It turned out to be a short guide for a certain pilgrimage commonly made by Tribunal Temple worshippers. There were seven sites of worship detailed in the pages with a story for each one telling some deed of the Tribunal god Vivec. One told how Vivec had helped a poor farmer by pulling a plow like a beast of burden. Another caught my attention. It detailed a confrontation between the Daedric prince Sheogorath and Lord Vivec. Sheogorath tried to destroy the city named after Vivec by nudging a moon out of its course. The book said that Vivec stopped its fall "with a single gesture and the grace of his countenance." I couldn't help but laugh. However, the book said that the moon not only halted over the city, but was used as a citadel for the temple Ordinators.

"I'd like to see that," I said aloud. It didn't mention how large this moon was, but a chunk of rock floating over a city? That would take a significant magical force to be held aloft. I'd have to go see it when I went to Vivec.

Overall, visiting each site was supposed to teach a principle to live by such as humility or daring. It made me curious to learn more about the religion. Before falling back to sleep, I even had the errant thought that maybe I'd get to meet these gods. That would certainly be exciting.

The next morning, I got right back to business. Ajira probably would have told me I needed more time to recover, but at the same time, she was anxious to leave Vvardenfell and so was I.

I dressed and donned my weaponry. This time I let Eyedis know I had a project before leaving. Thankfully she didn't try to push any new jobs on me.

I was waiting by the door of Ra'Virr's shop by the time he opened for business. He ushered me inside as soon as he saw me.

"Ra'Virr was beginning to think you had reconsidered," the lion maned Khajiit admitted.

"I just needed to work out the details. I have mark and recall potions to teleport the crates to the store. Where do you want them?"

The Khajiit put his shoulder to a bookshelf, shoving it to the side and revealing a trap door. He led me down a ladder into a hidden cellar under the floorboards. "Drink your mark potion here. Ra'Virr will close the store for the day. How many times will you teleport in?"

I carefully picked the small vial labeled 'mark', unstoppered it and poured the liquid down my throat, trying to ignore the odd taste. A strange sensation enveloped and left my body and disappeared just as quickly.. "I have three recall potions so I'll bring as much as I can back with them." The thought of how much money the assorted dwemer artifacts would bring put me in a chipper mood.

The rest of the day passed quite pleasantly. I took the long hike out to Arkngthand three times. The place had not been touched since Hasphat and I had cleared out the looters and any remaining automatrons were still locked in the sublevel, thank Azura. I found the small pile of things the looters had found and packed as much of it into a crate as I could. There were strange tubes, vials, and ingots along with a few weapons. Nothing I was interested in, but well worth taking.

Once the crate was satisfactorily overflowing, I popped the cork off a recall potion and hung it from my mouth. After picking up the crate with a mighty grunt, I tipped back my head and let the potion spill into my mouth. Faster than I could blink, I was in Ra'Virr's cellar. The cat began sorting the contents of the crate before I even left. The second trip was much like the second. A couple travelers noticed me take the bridge towards the Ashlands just beyond the gate to Balmora. I supposed it wasn't a common way to go for most folk.

The third trip had me scouring the ruins myself for artifacts as I'd already taken everything the looters had gathered. I swept through cupboards and drawers of ancient unused bedrooms, a kitchen, and the other rooms with a less obvious purpose. I found a number of ancient coins and even jewelry and gems, both cut and uncut. After loading the rest of the spoils into the crate, I once again teleported to Ra'Virr's store. Setting the crate down, I said, "That's all of it."

"Good, good," Ra'Virr said, never turning his attention away from the ledger he was keeping. "There is tea and some biscuits upstairs. Feel free to have some. Ra'Virr will join you when he finishes."

I climbed the ladder and indeed there was a kettle over a small fire in the hearth. A silver tray sat on a table. I lifted its cover off to find the biscuits along with a jar of honey. I spooned a generous helping of the golden substance onto the biscuit and attempted to eat it without getting my fingers sticky, a truly impossible task. A half hour later, I was nursing a hot cup of tea and relaxing in a comfortable chair. Ra'Virr climbed out of the basement, covered the trap door, and stretched his back with paws on his hips. He approached and poured himself a cup of tea.

"Ra'Virr is done with his appraisal." He sat in a chair across from me and handed me a slip of paper. The items I had brought were listed and itemized according to what he was willing to pay for each. I scanned the list, keeping a neutral look on my face. The dwemer artifacts were quite valuable indeed and the price reflected such. The other items such as the jewels and gems which weren't illegal to buy or trade had an average pawnbrokers price fixed to them. The grand total came to just over 11,000 septims. I glanced over at the Khajiit who sipped his tea casually as if paying me no mind. We both knew I could squeeze him for more if I felt like bartering. I believed he'd taken that into account when he made the number, making it just fair enough to hope I'd agree. On the other hand, I was at a disadvantage as far as bartering went. It wasn't as if I could deny his offer and take my items to the shop next door.

After considering all things, I laid the paper down and said, "The amount is fair."

Ra'Virr nodded. "Good. There is just a little more Ra'Virr must tell you. Ra'Virr hopes he doesn't have to mention that this transaction never took place." He waited for a nod of affirmation. "And he is obligated to tell you that if word of our business gets out in the open, Ra'Virr's business partners may have to pay you a visit."

"Understood."

"Perfect," he purred. He set down his cup and stood up behind his counter. I stood across from him as he unlocked a money box and counted out the full amount in front of me. As I took the coins, Ra'Virr bid farewell, saying, "Pleasure to do business with you. May you walk upon warm sands."

I returned his peoples traditional farewell with one of the Dunmer. "May the stars guide and watch over you."

I dismissed myself from the store with all the money I could need to make it home. It was once again raining, albeit lightly. Occasional lightning arced across the sky. I paused under the cloth awning in front of the store. I was a little tired, but it was still early afternoon. I wondered how long the journey to Vivec was. All it took was a glance at the empty silt strider station for me to realize they probably don't travel when there's lightning. Then I remembered that the mages guild offered teleportation services between their guild halls.

I debated whether I wanted to leave today when it was so late already, but figured that it might be more than a one day job anyway. I'd find Addhiranirr first and find out when the next ship was leaving. Then I'd know how long I had to keep up my act with Caius and the Blades. I bit my lip, realizing that if Addhiranirr had a dual loyalty to Caius besides the thieves guild, there was a risk she might inform Caius of my plans to leave. Or worse, when she realized I was a Blades agent, refuse to get me on a ship.

I calmed those fears immediately. All I had to do was make up some mumbo jumbo about being on Blades business. Caius had obviously worked with Addhiranirr before, if not the thieves guild itself. With my mind made up, I reported to Eyedis that I was leaving for Vivec for a couple of days on personal business.

She looked up from her desk just long enough to tell me that I could stay at the fighters guild hall in the Vivec Foreign Quarter during my stay if I could put up with the Orcish guildmaster's snoring.

Once at the mages guild next door, I found Ajira, quietly told her the plan and asked who to talk to about teleportation services.

"The Breton woman, Maselinie Merrian," she answered, excited that our timetable was shorter than I'd estimated yesterday. "Has Han lu ever been to Vivec before?"

"No," I answered.

"You be careful there friend. There are all kinds of people in the city and many are none too friendly."

I couldn't help but tease. "Oh Ajira, are you worried about me?" She rolled her eyes and I continued, feigning strength. "Honestly, you should worry more about anyone who gets in my way and you know it."

"Look, just don't ask too many questions. The Temple will imprison anyone they think is a heretic, so don't mention Daedra or that sort of thing. Ajira knows you like to stir up trouble as it is."

I relented and assured her. "I promise to be careful."

Ajira then took me to the back of the basement near her alchemy alcove. The Breton woman sat lazily in a chair looking bored to death with a book in her hands. "One passenger to Vivec Merian."

She flicked her eyes up at me briefly before saying, "Sixteen Septims." I wordlessly counted the money and put it in her hand. She laid her book in her lap and without moving from her seat, waved both hands at me. It took my brain a moment to realize I was in another room. It happened even more suddenly than it had with the potions.

"Please step out of the alcove, we don't want somebody else teleporting inside you," another bored voice said.

I glanced around to see I was indeed in an alcove with four stone platforms, each of them labeled with the name of the city people were coming from. I quickly stumbled down from the Balmora platform. A man blinked into existence on the platform labeled Sadrith Mora and strode easily into the room. He glanced at me and then to the woman sitting nearby and said, "First timers."

To this the woman simply replied with an, "Mmm hmm." She looked to me. "The exit to the guild is upstairs. It leads to the top level of the Foreign Quarter. I can answer any questions you have."

I gathered my wits. "Thank you, I'll be on my way."

I passed her, taking in the sights. The whole building was made of carved stone with simple, but painstakingly built designs. There were a number of different rooms, but I ignored them and found stairs leading upwards. The guild members paid me no mind, taking me for just another traveler utilizing their services. When I thought about it, this building probably saw significant foot traffic thanks to the guild guide service.

I exited the front door expecting to find myself outdoors, but to the contrary, I found myself in a room the size of a city block with stone walls and a dome ceiling high overhead. There were a number of buildings built in matching tan stone within this square room. I recognized the Fighters Guild straight across from me along with a blacksmith and apothecary. In between these buildings were streets wider than Balmora's and they were lined with stands and vendors. I looked to the left of the mages guild exit to where the street ended with two large wooden doors that were hanging open. By each door there was a guard. Not like the Balmora or house Hlaalu guards in their dull yellowish bonemold armor. These guards uniforms looked half ceremonial robe half armor. The cloth portions hanging off had multiple layers with a white background, but extravagant designs in purple, red, and blue. Their torso was covered in plate armor hammered into the shape of a chiseled muscular bare chest. It included pauldrons over each shoulder, sweeping up and outward to make them look more foreboding. They each carried a shield not quite tall enough to be called a tower shield, but heavy and formidable all the same. Each also carried a halberd or poleaxe with a broadsword as a backup.

The most noticeable part of the ensemble, however was inarguably the helmet they each wore. It had a tall plumage of red-orange hair in the shape of a mohawk and the front was carved in the likeness of a Dark elf's face with a circular earring on each side and two scars, one across each eye meeting on the forehead, making a point. The metal was gold rubbed, giving it a bright yellow sheen, as were all the metal parts of the armor. The guards looked like statuesque monoliths rather than your average law enforcers. One of them noticed me staring and did a double take as he glanced at me through the eyeholes in his helmet.

"You," he called. "Come here a moment." He didn't shout. On the contrary, his voice was nearly a whisper, but his voice was so deep, distinct, and commanding that everyone within fifteen feet turned, stopping their conversations just to make sure it wasn't them being called out. With trepidation, I obeyed, sizing him up out of habit. He beckoned me forward until I was within arms reach. A plan of action automatically ran through my head. I'm too close for him to use his halberd. If I need to fight, the weakest point in the armor appeared to be under each armpit or the legs, but I couldn't see them under the robe.

The guard shifted his halberd to his shield hand. Then with his free hand, he grasped the top of his helmet and pulled it off. I stiffened as he held it up next to my head as if to compare them. "Hey Daka!" He called to the other guard who was watching us. "It's a pretty good likeness don't you think?"

The other guard turned his helmeted head to face his partner, then wordlessly turned back to watching the crowd, creating an eerie, almost inhuman aura that reminded me of the expressionless dwemer automatons. With a grunt, the Dunmer man replaced his helmet on his head. "Save for the scars and hair, I think you look pretty similar."

I swallowed, finally realizing I wasn't in trouble. "Is that face based off of someone specific?"

"Of course. The temple Ordinators model ourselves after Saint Indoril Nerevar. Surely, you've heard of him. You are Dunmer after all."

"Oh yes, I've heard of him."

"Alright, then. I suppose you've taken enough of my time, haven't you?" His word was final and he resumed his sentinel-like watch. I was happy to walk away. A few steps down a stone ramp and yet again, the city of Vivec stunned me with its view. The market I'd just left wasn't a building on its own. It was merely the cap on a five story stone tower set in the ocean a stone's throw from the southern coast. I walked to the edge of the walkway leading around the fifth story and peered over the edge, trying to comprehend the sheer scale of the building. As if my mind wasn't blown before now, this tower was only one of nine which were all connected by arching stone bridges.

"Boo!" I jumped as another pair of the golden guards patrolled behind me. They laughed, pausing for a moment. "First time in the city?" They asked.

"Yeah. I've seen the palace of the Imperial city in Cyrodiil and the white gold tower is taller, but there's nothing that compares with the mass of these structures."

"Magnificent aren't they? They're called cantons by the way."

They began walking past again. "Oh, excuse me. Maybe you could help me find someone."

They stopped, one of them turning their head back to me. "I'm a law enforcer, not a tour guide."

"Perfect." They both turned slowly to face me at that and waited, gold helmets expressionless. "I'm looking for a Khajiit named Addhiranirr."

"And what would you want with her if you found her?" His voice was deadly serious. "Trouble won't be tolerated in my city."

I shook my head emphatically. "No, no, nothing like that. Dirty beggar cheated me at nine-holes." They continued to stare, unmoving. "I'm not involved with anything sordid."

Finally one of them answered. "I believe she lives in the lower waistworks. However, an Imperial tax collector has been looking for her since yesterday. I'm torn between that cat getting what's coming to her and letting the Imperial run in circles. Good luck finding her."

I let out a breath I wasn't aware I'd been holding. Those Ordinators were inherently intimidating and I didn't feel like crossing any more of them if I didn't have to.


	38. Chapter 38 Informants

I spent the rest of the day exploring the Foreign Quarter, which was the Canton I'd arrived on and the largest, I'd come to learn. The layout was as follows. The first and second floors were mostly housing and apartments. The richer you were, the higher you could live. The third level was reserved for official offices, mostly city related, but a few residents held offices of major private organizations. An Ordinator jokingly referred to it as the paper factory, because paperwork was the only good or service that came out of it. Then, the market was on the fifth level. Why the guilds got stationed there, I can't say for sure. What I was sure of was that Addhiranirr was nowhere to be found in the foreign quarter.

My only clue was when I finally sat down to eat. The place was called the Black Shalk cornerclub and it was packed with revelers for the harvest celebration. I didn't know what a shalk was, but I figured I was about hungry enough to eat one. It was tucked into the far corner of a hallway on the second level, close to the apartments so people wouldn't have far to walk to come spend their money.

I sat down at the bar and ordered. The menu ranged from simple to fancy and I settled on somewhere in the middle. Tuna steak with fried greens. As I waited for my order an Imperial man just down the bar from me let out the the master of all sighs.

He stared at his plain fare with a defeated expression. He was not old, but he wore the countenance of a weary man. "Rough day," I asked politely.

He paused running his fingers through his hair to glance at me. "Two in a row I'm afraid."

I narrowed my gaze. "You wouldn't happen to be the tax collector looking for Addhiranirr, would you?"

He snorted. "Oh I'm here for two days and suddenly I'm a celebrity, but ask about a Khajiit who's lived and worked here for years and nobody's heard of her." He took his tankard in hand and raised it. "Welcome to the life of a tax collector of the Emperor, long may he reign." He downed the drink in hopes of getting tipsy enough to forget his long day.

I slid down the bar so that I was closer to him. "You know, it's lucky we met."

He perked up and looked up at me. "Why, you know where I can find her?"

"Well, no. I'm looking for her too."

"Well that's just lovely. Now I have a partner in my wild goose chase. We can waste time twice as fast."

The cook laid my plate down in front of me and I eagerly began eating. "Well look at it this way. We don't both have to look for her the same way. You ask people the way a tax collector would. That doesn't mean they won't listen to me."

He chuckled again, doubtfully. "Oh, and how do you plan on asking differently than me?"

I slammed my fist on the bar loudly, making the Imperial jump and the room go quiet momentarily. The tax man spluttered for a moment, the adrenaline countering his buzz. He wiped a few spots of foam from his robe before looking me in the eye. "Alright, you've got my attention. What's your idea?"

"If you've been talking to everybody, then someone must have been hiding something. Does anyone stick out in your mind? Perhaps someone was particularly defensive or evasive."

He shook his head a moment. "If you worked one day in my job, you'd think everyone was hiding something." He was silent a moment before offering, "There were a couple beggars in the basement area of the St. Olms Canton who seemed a little shifty. Not in the dangerous kind of way, but in the nervous kind of way. I mean most people are when they talk to me, but more so in this instance. I tried to press them, but you know how it is."

I nodded. "I'll go talk to them, if not tonight, then tomorrow."

"Let me know if you find anything. I'm on the verge of giving up here."

"Of course." I went back to my meal.

The Imperial began to speak again, "You don't sound like a local. Are you from around…" He got cut off by a chair falling over across the room and someone shouting.

"I thought we made it clear we didn't want to see your scaley hide in here again!" The speaker was a Dunmer, one of several who entered the club together. They were facing an Argonian who was sitting alone in the corner. Despite the commotion, the Argonian laid back, relaxed in his chair.

"There's no call for such behavior. Sit down, I'll buy you all a drink." His voice was smooth and calm, almost disarming.

"I'd rather swallow a netch dropping than drink with the stench of a scaleback sitting across from me!"

Another Dunmer from the group spoke. "You shouldn't have come here Hula whatsit. Now we're going to have to teach you a lesson."

The Argonian sighed. "It's Huleeya you gray skinned, ash brained numbskulls." He rose lithely from his chair, smooth like a snake. "Huleeya from Black Marsh, born to the shadow scale, and raised to put idiots like you in their graves. Usually I prefer to get paid for my kills, but sometimes I make exceptions."

My eyes shot wide as I realized this Argonian was one of my contacts. One of the Dunmer barked a laugh. "Yeah, and how about when the Ordinators come for you. It's the word of a bar full of dark elves versus yours. You're better off taking the beating and leaving."

The Argonian drew a short sword from behind his back and I stood, knocking an arrow to my bow and pointing it at the leader of the dark elves from the opposite side of the room. "Woah, woah, gentleman. I don't think you realize who you're dealing with here." The room turned to me. I took a few strafing steps, keeping the arrow pointed at the group for effect. "Why do amateurs like you always want to pick a fight? If you'd ever been in a proper one, maybe you'd know better than to threaten a shadowscale." I knew of the shadow scale. Argonian eggs laid at a certain time of year special to the daedric prince Sithis were set aside for assassin training at hatching or so the legends go. My father had killed one long ago who was sent after my family.

The gang's nerve was shaken, if only for a moment. One of them replied, "And who are you? You don't sound like a Dunmer. You're an outlander, aren't you?"

"An outlander with a bow pointed at your head," Huleeya finished for me. "Gentlemen, this is obviously not your day, so if you'll just leave us please."

For another moment, everybody was tense and still until one of the group backed down. "Come on, we'll get these N'wahs later."

Once one of them left, the others followed. Another called out, "No need to patronize this business anymore, now that it smells like lizard."

Once the last of them were out of sight, I loosened my bowstring and crossed the room with a quick, "I'll talk to you later," to the Imperial. I took a quick peek out the door to see that the hallway was clear of the gang. Huleeya was back in his seat, the remains of a meal in front of him and a tankard in his hand. "I need to talk to you, " I said quietly. The bow was still held loosely in my left hand, holding the attention of some of the other patrons.

"You don't need to talk to me," he replied coolly. "I appreciate you stepping up back there, I really do, but I don't have time for other people's business. I've got some serious drinking to do."

"Well that's going to be a problem. I need you sober."

"Too late," the lizard croaked as he finished off his beer. "Keep em coming Reggie, I wanna break the record!"

With an exasperated sigh, I sat down next to him. I lowered my voice so only he could hear. "I need to know about the Nerevarine and Sixth house cults before you get yourself stomped by the locals."

His newly filled tankard paused on its way to his mouth. "Now that is serious business." He lay the tankard down on the table. "Business that we must sort out right away, however this one's already on the tab so, bottoms up." He raised the tankard, which was sizable and drained it in one long go, during which, I thought about how much harder each drink would make my job. He set the tankard down with a belch. "You know, we Argonians can breathe with a mouthful of water, but not a mouthful of mead. Trust me, I tried it."

I didn't answer, staring him down with agitation until he was prompted to action. "Alright ash brain," he relented, rolling his eyes. "Let's get out of here and talk philosophy. By the nine, nobody knows how to have fun around here."

Once on his feet, I realized Huleeya was quite possibly the largest Argonian I'd seen. I followed him as he stumbled drunkenly down a long straight hallway to an open veranda and back down another long hallway. The whole time, I kept one hand on the pommel of my orcish sword. We'd gotten that group of Dark elves to leave, but nothing would stop them from trying to jump us now. With the canton halls full of revelers, an attack could come from anywhere.

Huleeya heaved open a seemingly random door in the hallway and led me inside. I glanced between him and the sign hanging over the door with suspicion. "You do realize this is a book shop," I prodded.

"No better way to avoid temple spies than to hide in a place of actual learning. Vivec forbid anyone should learn anything not taught in one of his sermons," he sarcastically feigned piety, clasping his scaley hands and turning his face upward. "Now have you any other complaints about my venue or do you want my report?"

I stopped, leaning against a full bookshelf. "Report on," I invited. "What can you teach me about the Nerevarine cult? I already know they worship the ancient hero Nerevar and expect him to be reincarnated."

The Argonian coolly glanced around the room before answering in what he probably thought was a hushed voice in his inebriation. "Well, in my time here, I've learned a bit about the tensions between the Tribunal temple and the Nerevarine cult. I already knew they disliked each other, but the reason why is truly juicy. You have heard of the battle of Red Mountain, yes?" I nodded. "The Tribunals official doctrine claims that Indoril Nerevar died from his wounds after the battle. The Nerevarine cultists however, believe that the Tribunal themselves slew Nerevar in order to set themselves up as gods in his absence. This is why there is such tension between the groups. The really damning evidence is in the Tribunals own actions. Think on this. Why would they try so hard to persecute anyone who makes this claim if Nerevar had died of his wounds? You could chalk it up to blasphemy, but they don't haul every blasphemer into the Ordinators prison. If so, Vivec city would be devoid of all outlanders. I myself poke fun at the Tribunal, often to the worshippers themselves, but they play it off with their smug faith. Make mention that Nerevar will one day return however, suddenly Ordinators are knocking down your door, questioning everyone you know, and 'reeducating' anyone who the idea may have spread to."

I chewed on my lip in thought, suddenly feeling much more secretive about our discussion. The idea of those golden masked warriors busting in the door frightened me. "So you're saying that if the Tribunal didn't believe in the prophecy, they wouldn't try so passionately to discredit it?"

"You hit the nail on the head. My own theory is that the Tribunal are afraid that Nerevar will indeed return and he'll be none to happy with them for stabbing him in the back. Once in awhile there will be a rumor of someone who claims to be the Nerevarine. I wouldn't put it past the Tribunal to send assassins after them, because the rumors never last. The last one I heard of was an Ashlander mage named Peakstar. The Temple has touted his name as a false incarnate and claims that his failed attempt disproves the Nerevarine prophecy. At the same time, the Ashlanders claim that the rise and fall of multiple false incarnates is a sign that the Nerevarine will return soon. Meanwhile, none of them seem to be doing much to combat the blight from Red Mountain. That just about sums up what I have for you, although," he grabbed a large book from the shelf and took a couple sheaves of paper out from among the pages. "I did prepare this for Caius. I know he loves to read."

I quickly tucked the blasphemous pages into my satchel and out of sight. "Before I go, what can you tell me about the sixth house cult?"

The Argonian perked up slightly with interest. "A cult you say? Hmm. I know that the sixth house was destroyed long ago, but I've never heard of anyone worshipping it. Dagoth Ur was its last leader and I know the temple holds him as the devil of their culture." He shot me a toothy grin. "Devil worshippers, what will the natives come up with next?"

I stood and stretched. "Nothing good I'm sure. Thank you Huleeya. May the stars watch over you."

He bowed dramatically in return. "And may you swim through clear waters."

I decided I'd had enough for one day. I watchfully made my way to the fighters guild where I bedded down for the night. My thoughts were filled with Dunmer politics. My sleep was wakeful, hampered by the thought of the golden masked Ordinators.


	39. Chapter 39 Acolytes and Dreamers

_Author's note. My apologies for the lateness of this chapter. Put simply, there was no wifi in my cabin at Yellowstone National park. I think this one is well worth the wait. Future chapters will still be uploaded on_ _Saturdays_ _, barring outside circumstances._

The next morning, I headed for St. Olms canton. I learned that Saint Olms the just was known for founding the Ordinators by reading a plaque under a stone portrait of the ancient Dunmer on one of the canton walls.

I ignored the upper waistworks where the legitimate businesses dealt with the law abiding citizens and found a stairway to the lower waistworks. The place would have felt like a dungeon, but it was dry, well lit, and clean for the most part. It didn't take long to locate the beggars that the tax man had told me about. A Dunmer and two humans sat on a blanket spread in an out of the way corner. They passed a ceramic jug between them, swilling the pungent liquor and giggling like fools.

I headed for a hallway to their side, as if to skirt them. As I neared, they stopped chatting and asked the inevitable question. "Spare a coin for a poor soul?"

I stopped and turned my head to look down at them. "Perhaps a coin. Maybe a whole purse. That depends on how helpful you are to me."

The Dunmer sat up straighter, grinning a gap toothed smile at me. "What is it you want Muthsera." He used the formal title, no doubt hoping to butter me up.

"An acquaintance recommended the services of a Khajiit named Addhiranirr," I said cooly. "She's rather difficult to find."

"Ah," the Dunmer said with a sly grin, tapping the side of his nose with a finger. He glanced at his companions as if sharing a joke. "Wouldn't we all like a little service from her, but I don't think she's really in that business."

I groaned inwardly, without any patience to deal with innuendos from the old man. I saw that they'd set their pot of liquor beside them on the blanket. I lifted my foot and stomped the clay pot, splashing the beggars and the blanket and giving off an eye watering smell.

The beggars cried out in protest, but fell silent when I grabbed a torch from a sconce on the wall and held it towards them. Three sets of eyes rapidly looked between the torch dripping small globs of flaming pitch, to the fabric soaked in alcohol. When I spoke, I had their undivided attention. "Tell me where to find the Khajiit, or you'll become intimately familiar with my services."

After a moment of tense silence, the old Dunmer's grin returned. He shoved the man next to him off the blanket and folded the fabric back to reveal a wooden trap door. "She's hiding in the sewers from the tax man. Have fun."

I pulled the door open by an iron ring and dropped the torch through the hole, revealing a twelve foot long ladder. I mounted the iron rungs and lowered myself, closing the trapdoor above me.

To my surprise, even the sewer area maintained the architecture of the rest of the canton. The canals ran deeper than was needful and the walkways were wide and clean. Drainage tunnels ran into one big tunnel on either side of the canton.

I dismounted the ladder, picked up the torch, and strolled along the empty walkways without drawing my weapons. "Addhiranirr, I wish to speak with you." The echo of my voice joined the symphony of echoes from running and pouring water, but was not answered. I held my hands out to the side. "I'm not the taxman or a guard. I'm with Caius." My voice echoed and died with no responce.

As I crossed a bridge over a spillway, I heard the faintest sound of something landing behind me and the Khajiit was suddenly by my right side with an arm draped over my shoulders.

"And how is our good friend Caius?" She purred more than Ajira did. "Still up to his old shenanigans?"

I tried and failed to pretend she hadn't caught me off guard. Her overly friendly manner is not what I had expected. "Well, you know Caius. He stays busy."

"Oh yes friend, Addhiranirr knows Caius. Very well," she added suggestively, circling me on the balls of her feet and looking me up and down as if I were prey. By the way she spoke, I wondered if she was making an innuendo or if she just always spoke this way. Maybe both. "Perhaps Addhiranirr can get to know you too, Mr..."

"Han lu," I finished for her. "Han lu Urshar."

She grabbed me by my collar and leaned in close to my face, taking in my scent. It was at this point I realized I was dealing with a master manipulator. It was rare that I didn't feel in control of a situation, but this Khajiit used her allure to put me at ease, yet maintained a predatory presence that made my fingers itch for my sword pommel. In that moment, I was so caught up between caution and… excitement that she could have stabbed me or kissed me. I stared, eyes wide, until she drew back from me, a sly smile on her face. In the light of the torch, I could see that Addhiranirr was different from other Khajiit I'd seen. Her coat was white with small black and gray speckles all over. She had three black streaks running from the top of her head down her face to meet at her nose. She was very short and slender. I realized she wasn't wearing any clothes which put me further off guard, despite her being covered in fur.

I met her gaze as her own began to fall. She stepped back dejectedly, clasping her hands behind her back and crossing her legs in a helpless gesture. "Unfortunately, Addhiranirr is in no position to help her friend Caius. She is hampered and driven into hiding by the Imperial agent who is looking for her." She sighed dramatically. "If only there were some strong handsome young Dunmer who could get rid of the agent and make Addhiranirr safe again." She immediately broke into a sly grin at me.

I had to get ahold of myself before speaking. I recognized her manner as being manipulative, playing on my emotions to make me sympathetic to her plight, but she did it so naturally and convincingly that my heart ached and my throat tightened, even after she broke character. After collecting myself, I backed up a pace.

"Okay, to be clear, if I get rid of the taxman, you'll give me the information Caius needs?"

She rolled her eyes. "Of course. Addhiranirr wants to help friend Caius and Caius' handsome friend. Once the taxman is gone, she will be free to do so. You scratch her back, she scratches yours." She looked up to me with big golden eyes. "If that's what you're into."

This time, my face went bright red from the implications. I struggled to form a response, but ended up just saying, "Uhh."

Addhiranirr chuckled and helped me shut my gaping mouth with the back of her soft fingers before walking past me, brushing the back of her short claws against my cheek. "This one will find you once you've done what she asks."

She walked away, letting her soft tail brush past my knees. I watched her go to a ladder, hips and tail swaying purposefully, and climb back up to the world above.

I slowly went to the opposite ladder, trying to come to terms with the things she'd said. Was she just playfully flirting or was she… Could she be attracted to me? Half of me felt violated. I didn't quite feel comfortable with how familiar she acted. As I climbed the ladder though, I also had to admit, she had excited me. My cheeks burned with embarrassment for thinking that way about a Khajiit. What would others think? I didn't even know what I thought about it. When I emerged back into the hallway the beggars were squatting in, I noticed the old gap toothed Dunmer, grinning at me.

"She's really something, isn't she?"

I shook my head, wishing to get rid of my blush. "Shut up fleabag!" I was not open to discussing the matter. He still grinned at me as I made my way back to the Canton.

By asking around, I was able to track down the taxman within the hour. I found him back in the Foreign Quarter market, questioning passers by.

"You, Imperial," I called over the din of the crowd. He turned to see who was calling him, giving the nervous wood elf he was questioning time to scurry back into the celebratory crowd.

He raised his hand in greeting. "Hello my Dunmer friend. I don't suppose you've brought good news for me, have you?"

I feigned disappointment, letting my shoulders slump. "I'm afraid not. One of the dock workers said a white and black spotted Khajiit took a boat to Ebonheart two days ago. I'd go to track her down myself, but I have other things I still have to do before leaving the city. I thought you'd want to know though."

"Of course, of course," he said excitedly, scratching out some notes with a charcoal. "Did you happen to get the name of the boat?"

"Uh," I stumbled and realized too late that I should have said no. He glanced up at me as if I were trying to remember. "Uh, it was… the Wave… Breaker."

I cringed internally. What kind of Captain would give such a generic name to his ship?

The tax man did not seem to notice, scribbling the randomly picked words onto his notes. "Thank you for this friend. I must be off right away. May the Nine guide you."

He hurried off, excited by his new lead. With him gone, I looked around, realizing I hadn't arranged a follow-up meeting with Addhiranirr. "Oh for the sake of Azura," I grumbled. "If I have to spend hours scouring this city for her again, I'm going to scream."

I returned to the sewer where I'd first found her and saw no trace. Even the beggar's from before had left the vicinity. With no leads left, I decided I'd better look for the last contact Caius had given me, figuring Addhiranirr would find me, or I could track her down later.

I started following the canton paths south, remembering that the Temple Canton was towards the tip of the cluster of buildings. I reviewed the instructions I had been given, not to ask around for her directly, but to look in the castle library for a Dunmer woman with red hair. 'Hard to miss,' I thought to myself. No sooner had I completed my thought than I turned the corner and beheld true majesty.

Ahead of me, only two more cantons remained. According to the signs, the first one was the Temple and the second was the palace of Vivec. The Temple was stylized differently from the other cantons. It had a lower walkway with doorways leading to various offices and the library where I needed to be. The upper walkway was designed like a courtyard and held a building no less impressive than the cathedrals of the nine in Cyrodiil. A twenty foot statue adorned each corner, presumably the images of some of the temple saints. The temple boasted a tall sweeping roof which came together at a long pointed spire. This was framed by the palace in the background which stood far taller than the temple. A single set of stairs led up, over trelles after trelles, each one flowing with water. Just looking at it, I could tell there were well over a hundred stairs. A single solid wooden door sat at the top, the room it lead to being nestled among the clouds.

Among all these sights, one stole my gaze most of all. Floating above the temple, perhaps 50 to 100 feet above the ocean swells was a massive round stone, nearly the size of the temple canton itself. It stayed suspended over the west side of the temple without moving or swaying. Though the clouds made anything above the bottom of the stone difficult to see, I could make out wooden walkways built into the side.

I detoured from the route to the library simply to stare at the temple and the moon which the god Vivec himself held suspended. I was aware of a number of Ordinators and priests who glanced at me, but none moved to reprimand or remove me. On the contrary, the priests wore happy grins as they beheld my wonder. At the back of the Temple, I was surprised to find that there was no honor guard between the temple and the palace. If I ran, I could get to the very door before any of the temple guards could intercept me.

I looked to the nearest person I could find, an elderly Dunmer priestess in a thin brown woolen robe. "I beg your pardon muthsera, but shouldn't the palace have guards."

The woman seemed amused at my question as she stood up straight, setting a watering can down next to her. "Lord Vivec needs no protection for his person. Human Emperors and Elven kings may, but Vivec is a god. His Ordinators are to protect his people, not him." She reached out to the garden box she was watering to a fat bumblebee on a flower. It climbed onto her fingernail and across her hand. She held it unafraid of being stung. "All peaceful creatures can feel the safety of this place." She turned to look at me with a kind, but knowing smile. "Can you?"

I huffed. "No, I suppose not. However, I may just be too awestruck to feel it. This place is amazing."

"It really is," the priestess mused, fully transfixed by the bee. She seemed to have lost interest in me, so I politely bowed and made way to the library. I would have found it odd that the general public was allowed admittance to such a large and historic collection of tomes, but there were so many Ordinators inside that you could hardly sneeze without one being close enough to wipe your nose. Nobody hovered over me or lectured me on the proper care for books. It was perfectly clear that there would be no tolerance for shenanigans in this place.

I lazily browsed the shelves, covertly scanning the area for Mehra Milo. I went ten minutes without a glimpse of red hair. To avoid suspicion, I plucked a book from the shelves and sat down to read. The 36 lessons of Vivec. It was nowhere near as interesting as it sounded. I figured my best chance to find Mehra was to stay in the library and wait for a glimpse of her. It would be just my luck if she had the day off or something.

I sat and read the old scriptural text for the better part of an hour. Despite the cryptic language, I was able to glean a couple interesting tidbits. I found out that Vivec claimed to be a member of a nearly extinct race of elves called Chimer who were the ancestors of today's Dunmer. My interest was piqued momentarily when the book mentioned the land of Indoril, but it didn't expound on the subject any further than that.

I made a show of leaning back in my chair to stretch so I could scan the room again and this time I saw her. Like Caius had said, there was no mistaking her identity. I had never seen a ginger haired Dunmer before. It wasn't a bright red like you saw in some Bosmer or Nords, but even though it was a dark shade, it was unmistakably red hair. The woman wore simple green priestess robes. She was not quite middle aged, but wore a serious and mature look that seemed to add a few years.

I looked down at my book for a moment, planning how I'd make contact. All had to do was bring up the code word Amaya, which was a lake within an hours walk north of here. I gently closed the book of sermons and reshelved it. I approached the priestess who was struggling to reshelve a couple heavy tomes.

"May I be of assistance muthsera?" I held out my hands, offering to hold the stack of books while she replaced them.

"Oh would you please," she accepted, happily handing me the books. She took a moment to replace a few strands of hair that had fallen out of place before returning to her sorting. "Thank you Sera."

"Of course," I insisted. "Are you the librarian here?"

"One of a handful," she answered.

"Perhaps I could ask you a question while I've got you here. I've been researching some local geography and I was hoping to learn about the area surrounding lake Amaya."

Her reaction to the codeword was a quick glance at my face for confirmation that it wasn't just a coincidence that it had come up. I met her eyes with my own meaningful gaze. She didn't show any other sign that would attract attention.

"Of course sera," she answered. "I can show you the geography and cartography sections."

After shelving the last book, she beckoned me to the back of the library. At the end of a row of bookshelves, we were sufficiently isolated to speak freely.

"What does Caius want?" She spoke with a lowered voice.

"He needs information on the Nerevarine and Sixth house cults," I replied, matching her clandestine tone."

She nodded, bobbing her head in concentration. "I'm afraid I haven't got any useful knowledge about the sixth house cult, but as for the Nerevarine cult…" she paused to check our surroundings. "There are a number of former temple staff who have left after claiming belief in the prophecies. If they get caught, they are punished severely, but there is a group of dissidents who have left the temple and pursued the true history of Indoril Nerevar. They claim that the power of the Tribunal is not divine at all, but sorcerous in nature. There is a book they have compiled called the Progress of Truth. Copies are difficult to find, because the Temple has banned it, but you might try a non-dunmer book seller."

I pondered for a moment, thinking back on what Huleeya had to say yesterday. "I don't understand why the Temple is so oppressive of this subject. Whether Nerevar comes back or not, oppressing those who believe it changes nothing. If the cult is so small, why would gods be so concerned with it?"

Mehra gave me a long hard look. "The power of the Tribunal is derived from the faith of its followers. I may not know any useful facts about the sixth house cult, but I understand the threat Dagoth Ur presents to Morrowind. The blight, the ash storms, and many evil creatures flow over the ghost fence surrounding Red Mountain. The faith of the Dunmer is the only thing giving the Tribunal the power to maintain the ghostfence and in recent years that power has been waning as more Dunmer become casual in their worship or question the Tribunal's power altogether. This is why dissidents can not be tolerated in the eyes of the Temple. We must remain faithful or Dagoth Ur will win this battle of wills and Morrowind will be doomed to thousands of years under his rule. He won't stop there either. He will move to conquer and expand into the mainland."

I steadied myself on the bookshelf. "How do we know he's really that powerful?" I let my hopeful disbelief show on my face.

Mehra shook her head sadly. "I don't. I don't even know how he became so powerful. What I do know is that the temple flows with whispers of the evidence. The ordinators are saying that all throughout Vvardenfell, there are people who are falling into strange trances and preaching the coming of Dagoth Ur. They leave their homes and families, sometimes wearing little or no clothing. Often they become aggressive. The call themselves dreamers. The Ordinators are calling this trend 'soul sickness'." She took a deep breath. "The Temple tries to keep these things quiet, but the truth is that there is much unrest in Morrowind. Now," she concluded. "Is there anything else you need to ask? We shouldn't remain here much longer."

I shook my head. "No. That's everything I needed. Stars watch over you Muthsera."

Before I could go, she stopped me short, grabbing my wrist. "Will you give Caius my best? He's a good friend of mine."

She waited until I agreed beforeleting go of me. I left the library, suddenly feeling every Ordinators presence like a weight on my back. Once outside the temple, I made a beeline north to the St. Delyn canton and beyond. I'd head for the foreign quarter, I decided, seeing as there were fewer Ordinators there. My plans were interrupted as I crossed the bridge. A familiar Khajiit was laying on the stone rail, taking a catnap in the noonday sun.

Since I'd seen her last, Addhiranirr had donned at least a little clothing. Thanks to their fur, Khajiit didn't always feel the need to go fully clothed. Her outfit consisted of a short practical leather skirt and a leather shoulder belt with pouches for carrying things. I caught myself contemplating her figure and cleared my throat to rouse her. She slowly stretched over the arched stone railing and rolled to face me.

"Oh how funny, this one was just dreaming about you." She propped her head on a hand.

I ignored the innuendo and replied, "I hope you were dreaming about what kinds of useful information you could tell me."

She put on a pout and swung up into a sitting position, crossing her hanging legs. "And here she thought Addhiranirr had met a suave debonaire Imperial spy." She shrugged and and spoke forlornly. "Perhaps it was better in her head. Addhiranirr is not even sure she wants to work with the Empire anymore." She hid her grin, but I could tell she was fighting the urge.

I put on a charming smile. "I don't suppose you could settle for a brutal, self loathing Imperial spy."

She raised an eyebrow playfully. "Are you making an offer?" My face flushed and the Khajiit laughed, coming to her feet and taking my arm. "Tell you what, we can discuss business over lunch and perhaps we can do…" She trailed off, looking me up and down sensually. "Something else, later."

I realized I was holding my breath. Addhiranirr sent thrills of excitement through me and at that moment, I was so enthralled, I didn't care that she was a Khajiit. She half giggled, half purred and went to lead the way north, when she jumped in fright. I looked to find what she had seen and there were suddenly a half dozen people, men and women blocking each side of the bridge. I hadn't noticed them close in on us at all. What's more, they all stood with arms hanging loosely at their sides and wore emotionless expressions. There were a handful of Dunmer and a scattering of other races. Some seemed rich, others poor. There was an Ordinator in front of me, but he stood like the rest of them, totally opposite the normally imposing posture they wore.

My first thought was that they disapproved of our interracial flirting, but seeing how they stood, I realized something else was going on here.

Addhiranirr scooted behind me, hanging on my arm. "Are these friends of yours?"

I scanned them and noticed a couple of the Dunmer from the bar last night. However, they weren't angry. They were almost comatose. Even their gaze was off. It was like they were looking through me rather than at me.

My hand slowly dropped to my sword. "What do you want?"

The group spoke as one. "We invite you to house Dagoth Han lu."

My heart dropped into my stomach and Addhiranirr tightened her grip on my arm. "Who are you?"

"We are dreamer."

The commotion had now attracted the attention of a number of Ordinators and two pairs of the warriors slowly approached the dreamers, gripping their spears. "What's all this about," one of them rumbled, hesitant, seeing that one of their own was in the group.

"House Dagoth rises and the false Tribunal wanes. The time is at hand and all must choose. Kneel or fall. Any other choice simply delays the inevitable and will incur wrath upon your head."

One of the sane Ordinators crept up to the entranced one and tapped him on the shoulder. "Duran! Duran, stop this. It's not you, it's the soul sickness." The dreamer acted as if his friend wasn't even there. They all stared at me.

"Come to Red Mountain." The final sentence seemed to embed itself into my mind, echoing inside my head as loud as a cathedral bell. I stumbled, thrown off balance as the world blurred. Everyone moved at once, the dreamers turning on the Ordinators and a few of them rushing forward, grabbing at Addhiranirr. She screamed and hissed and scratched. As soon as I regained my senses, I tried to fight them off. I caught a dunmer sailor in the jaw with a solid punch, but he kept grabbing at Addhiranirr. I heard screaming and saw that the Ordinators had raised their shields and with lowered halberds they were stabbing the attacking dreamers.

I followed suit, drawing my orcish sword and stabbing the sailor in the side. He jumped back and glared, having ignored me up to this point. He tried to tackle me, but ended up impaling himself on my sword. With a shocked expression, the trance seemed to leave him and he stumbled backwards to the ground and screamed in agony.

Addhiranirr screamed as two dreamers pushed her up to the edge of the rail. I swung hard and took an Imperial male in the back of the neck. Before I could dislodge my sword, the other dreamer, a Dunmer noble by the looks of him, turned and tried to ram a long dagger into my stomach. I caught his wrist with both hands and we danced around with the weapon, wrestling for control. The dark elf was much larger than me and forced me to retreat, keeping my hand on his wrist. He twisted, throwing me to each side' trying to impale me. My hand slipped and his dagger thrust for my unprotected belly when he was cut down to the ground by an arrow. I panted, searching the surroundings for my rescuer. On the 2nd level of the St. Olms canton, Huleeya, the Argonian stood with a longbow. The fight was over, with most of the dreamers dead and some still dying. More Ordinators rushed the area. They formed a shield wall around the bridge, keeping people away from the scene. One Bosmer woman tried to push her way past screaming at the Ordinators that they'd killed her husband.

I stumbled back to the edge of the bridge next to Addhiranirr, yanking my orcish sword from a body and keeping it between me and the dreamers on the ground. Once the area was secure an Ordinator approached us. "We'll have to take you two in for questioning."

I stopped his advance by raising my sword. "We didn't do anything wrong. These people ambushed us out of nowhere."

The Ordinator nodded, holding his shield and halberd out to the side in a peaceful gesture. "I understand that. I saw the beginning from afar. You're not being put under arrest. We just need you to come to the Hall of Justice and tell us what happened. Both of you."

Three Ordinators hauled Huleeya onto the bridge, bound in manacles. The one addressing me turned to the three. "What's this about?"

"This one resisted," came the curt reply.

The officer nodded. "Will you all see these three to the Hall of Justice? No need to bind the other two, but the Argonian can stay shackled for now."

The guards gave a salute and approached. One held out a gloved hand for my weapon, which I surrendered considering how resisting worked out for Huleeya. Onlookers were flooding to see the scene from both the cantons and the temple. As we were marched back to the temple, I spotted the gardener I'd spoken to earlier. When she saw me, she fell to her knees and clasped her hands in prayer.

We were led to a room with a cell nearby the Ordinators quarters and locked inside. One of the Ordinators lingered by the cell. "The Captain will be with you once he's finished his work at the scene. Do you need anything while you wait?"

Addhiranirr and I answered in the negative. The Ordinator ignored Huleeya when he asked for a kegger and left. The Argonian struggled to his feet from the floor were he'd been dumped.

"Listen up you two. No matter what happens, don't admit to having weird dreams or visions. In fact, don't admit to anything out of the ordinary. These guys take this stuff very seriously."

Addhiranirr curled up in the corner fearfully and wrapped her tail around her. Her voice was small, no longer playful in any way. "Who were those people? What was wrong with them?"

"A better question," I interrupted, facing Huleeya, "Is how were you there when it all happened?"

The Argonian sat upright. "I was stalking some of those assholes who wanted to start trouble at the cornerclub last night so I could teach them a lesson."

Addhiranirr frowned. "You brought a longbow to teach them a lesson?"

Huleeya smiled sardonically. "Yes."

We were interrupted by the Ordinators. They entered the room and one of them said, "The Argonian first." Huleeya was hauled to his feet and dragged out, leaving me with Addhiranirr. I looked to her huddled form and tried to think of something to say. The flirtatious, sensual Khajiit had been replaced by a furry ball of fear.

"I'm sorry that happened," I said dumbly. "I don't know why they came after me." Part of me still wanted to try and salvage our new relationship. I realized that she had been moving very fast, perhaps faster than was wise, but having been tantalized by her charms and good looks made me loath to give up on her. Who knew when I'd connect with a girl like this again.

Addhiranirr peeked out from behind her knees, her golden eyes gleaming slightly in the torchlight. "Han lu, Addhiranirr is Thieves guild. She doesn't like to fight. She doesn't like being involved in matters like this. She likes you, but we should not be friends. She doesn't want anything to do with the devil in the Red mountain." My heart sank and I stood up from next to her and leaned against the steel bars.

"Well, that's good I suppose. I won't be staying around here anyway." I knew right away, I hadn't hidden the hurt in my voice very well. Addhiranirr opened her mouth to comfort me, but I cut her off. "I did come to you for information. Just tell me about the Sixth house and Nerevarine cults and we can part ways as soon as they let us go."

She looked pained at my words. "Han lu, Addhiranirr is sorry, but she's scared."

I held up a hand, not wanting to discuss it. "The cults," I insisted.

She still looked pained, but bowed her head. "The Nerevarine cult is silly. From what Addhiranirr hears, it's followers do nothing worthy of note. The sixth house cult is up to something. Many smugglers this one has worked with don't have time to take jobs from her anymore. They work for a new client and are very secret. Addhiranirr boarded one of their ships once. They have crates of little red clay statues full of ash. Why, this one knows not. They are bringing the things secretly to all parts of the island. Addhiranirr only knows it is for the sixth house cult because she broke into a Captain's cabin and read his ledger after nobody would tell her the truth. They are usually loudmouth braggarts, but now they are tight lipped and carry heavy purses. Addhiranirr knows nothing else."

I realized that this was the only current information I'd received on the sixth house cult. Every other menton of them had been a historical one.

"This one is sorry she could not be more helpful to you, "Addhiranirr apologized, looking at the floor.

"Good, because there's one more thing I need," I offered. Her ears perked up, but her eagerness looked pained, afraid of what sordid affair I'd involve her in. "As part of my mission for Caius, I must get back to the mainland and I can't be seen with an Imperial ship. Do you know a smuggler I could hire to take two passengers?"

She thought for a second. "There are one or two who might, but they are secretive and very expensive. They might charge anywhere from five to ten thousand drakes."

I faked a smile. "My employer doesn't have a funding shortage," I lied. If I made her think it was Blade business, maybe she wouldn't mention it to anyone.

She pursed her lips in concentration and was quiet for a time. "Han-lu, the guild needs to be sure to protect its allies. Considering what happened just now…" she tried to trail off, but at an insistent look from me, she finished, "You are high risk cargo."

"Nuh uh. Nothing's standing in my way now. Anything. I'll do whatever it takes to get on one of those ships."

"You realize you are an Imperial agent. Who's to say this isn't all a ruse to get to the Thieves guild. Caius and I have a working relationship, but we are still on opposite teams."

I crossed the room and took Addhiranirr by the shoulders, staring her in the eyes. My body shook involuntarily. "Please, I need this. The whole world has turned against me, but if I can just get this one thing, I can gain control of my life again."

She shrank back away at my intensity and I gasped in exasperation. "Don't stop me here. Don't you dare deny me this!" The corners of my eyes welled with tears as the door opened and an Ordinator stepped in.

"Is everything okay in here?" I reluctantly let go of the Khajiit.

"Yes," I insisted, clearing my eyes.

The Ordinator grunted. "You next Dunmer."

Addhiranirr avoided my gaze until I finally broke away and resigned myself to questioning.


	40. Chapter 40 Shadows Closing In

I felt hollow inside. My discouragement was so overwhelming that I could hardly stand to keep moving. I was a wreck when the Ordinators questioned me, which probably helped my case. They asked for my version of events which I gave with a flat, unfeeling monotone. They questioned me for well over an hour on who I was and if I knew anything about why I'd been targeted.

Thanks to much experience, the lies came easy and when I finally broke down crying at the prospect of not being able to return home, they seemed to become uncomfortable, assuming my pain was from the shock of the attack, and expedited my departure after justifying their case that I was no heretic. When I left the temple, I found myself wandering. On the bridge where the attack had occurred, a number of temple acolytes scrubbed the blood from the stone walkway. The bodies were gone, taken out of sight.

Not only was I stuck on this island, but now I had done something to attract the attention of these so called dreamers. Why did they want me to go to Red Mountain?

Besides all this, the feeling of rejection weighed on me. 'That's silly,' I told myself. 'You just met her today and she's a Khajiit of all things. You don't need her.'

Except I had needed her, or at least something from her. She'd robbed me of the prospect of romance and an escape from the island. Without the motivation to continue Caius' mission, I found myself at the Black Shalk cornerclub. Huleeya was nowhere to be seen, which didn't bother me. I sat at the bar and waited until the bartender approached.

"What's your poison?" I didn't know how to answer that question. Mom used to drink wine some evenings, but only lightly. Dad never drank at all. He always told me that liquor made you vulnerable and he never left himself vulnerable. My chest burned with shame for ignoring his council, but I already felt vulnerable. I might as well let go and forget my troubles for the evening.

"Just give me something strong."

A clean pewter cup was filled with some pungent liquid in exchange for gold. I took a long while before actually taking a sip. To be honest, it tasted awful. I had to clear my eyes as the burning sensation ran from my throat to my face. I finished the cup, trying not to inhale through the nose.

It was all downhill from there. I found out that I was a mean and vindictive drunk. I glared down anyone who approached me and barked at the bartender to keep filling my cup. The middle-aged Dunmer put up with my antics for a good while, but at some point he cut me off. I tried to lunge at his throat, but only succeeded in collapsing over the bar.

Two golden men took me away and I must have blacked out in transit. I vaguely remember someone prompting me to swallow bits of torn bread. The next morning, I awoke to a pounding in my head the likes of which I'd never felt before, even after a concussion and I'd had a few. The only thing that competed for my attention was the pressure in my bladder. I opened my eyes to find myself on a rug in a bedroom. With a bit of thought, I decided it must be an inn.

I struggled to my feet, fighting against the weakness that made my legs feel like jelly. I uttered a prayer of thanks to Azura that the city of Vivec had proper water closets, though in hindsight it was more likely thanks to Vivec himself rather than Azura. While taking care of business, I pondered on the architectural design. How old was Vivec city anyway? The Empire had adopted water closets only in the past hundred years, using aqueducts to provide running water to homes. Had the Dunmer invented them earlier? Then again, Balmora and Seyda Neen still only had outhouses.

I physically tried to shake these thoughts from my head, immediately wishing I hadn't as the pounding in my head increased. I held onto the wall for balance. When I returned to the room, I found that I was not alone. Addhiranirr was curled up beneath the sheets on the only bed in the room. What was she doing here?

I thought back to the events of the night before, remembering being escorted from the cornerclub by the Ordinators. They would have taken me to jail to sober up. The only explanation is that Addhiranirr offered to take care of me. My anger towards her from yesterday dissipated. Her face was troubled as if her waking dreams were causing , I sat on the bed and laid a hand on her shoulder.

She jolted awake with a gasp, but calmed when she realized it was me. I withdrew my hand and she sat up defensively. I tried to think of something to say, but despite her getting me out of trouble with the Ordinators, I couldn't let go of the fact that she was the only thing standing between me and home. The silence drew too long and became awkward. I decided to leave, getting up and gathering my things from atop a wooden dresser. As I belted on my sword, the Khajiit broke the silence.

"Addhiranirr has not been completely honest with you Han lu." I paused a moment to listen before shouldering my bag and belting on my sword. "Addhiranirr knew you were coming to see her. Safia Dren is a good friend. She told this one about you." She had to suppress a sad smile. "Addhiranirr joked that she would have you for herself to tease poor Safia. This one believes she's enamored with you. Addhiranirr meant you no harm."

"Don't worry about it," I grunted.

"What will Han lu do now?"

I took a deep breath. "I need to find another way off this island, seeing how you can't help me."

"You do this for Caius, yes?" I nodded. She threw the sheets off herself and stood to face me. "You lie to Addhiranirr. She knows Caius has his own contacts in smuggling." I looked to the ceiling, annoyed at having my lie called out. "Why do you try to go behind Caius' back? Are you not his agent?"

I couldn't meet her gaze. "Only under threat of death. You won't rat me out will you?"

She ignored my question, persisting with her own. "Why does Han lu want to get back to the mainland?"

I shook my head and draped the bow over my shoulder. "That's none of your concern."

I was about to leave, but she interjected. "Not only is it this one's concern, it is her business. Addhiranirr arranges smuggling and if she doesn't know what's being smuggled or who's looking for it, she loses ships and the rest of her Captains won't work for her if they think Addhiranirr will get caught. Tell this one and maybe she can find Han lu passage."

I paused, my hand inches from the door latch. I choked up, trying to avoid thinking about it. Addhiranirr pushed me for answers. "Is it to run from Caius, to run from these dreamers?" She hesitated. "Are you going after the Emperor again?"

I winced, realizing the whole thieves guild probably knew my story by now thanks to Safia. Maybe the Cammona Tong too, depending on the whim Orvas Dren. "I don't want to fight anyone anymore." I was honestly shocked at my own answer. I had to pause and consider my emotions to make sure it was the truth. I realized in that moment that I, Han lu, son of the Empire's most wanted criminal mastermind, was done wanting to fight.

"I… I just want to go home. I want to find my mother and make sure she's okay." I was crying now. "The Emperor beat me, fair and square. He broke my vicious side and now I just want to put my family back together as best I can. I don't want to be his errand boy, I don't want to be stuck alone here on this heathen island, and I most definitely do not want to deal with an ancient demon who can take over the minds of 12 random people and make them fight for him. I just… I just want to get home." I pounded on the wooden door and turned on Addhiranirr, shaking. Not with fear or rage, but conviction.

"I don't need your help. I'll find a way. Even if I have to play along with Caius' schemes for a while. I'll plan, I'll prepare, and I'll burn to the ground anything that gets in my way. The Blades, the guilds, the dreamers, it doesn't matter. I can be a very dangerous person and anyone who underestimates me will get what's coming to them. If I never see my family again, it will be because I died trying."

Addhiranirr nodded solemnly. "This one will arrange a deal for you. The thieves guild is willing to trade favors. It won't be easy, but perhaps you can make the reward outweigh the risks of double crossing the Empire."

I took a few calming breaths. "You tell your bosses I want passage off this island for two within a week. Before that time, I'll do any job they need. Anything. If they take any longer, I'll steal my own boat and make a go of it myself."

Addhiranirr wore a narrowed gaze and sly grin. "This one will relay your terms. Expect someone to make contact with you in Balmora soon."

I held out a hand and Addhiranirr shook it with a fuzzy white paw. "Very soon," I insisted. I turned and left the inn to find my way to the Foreign Quarter. I'd had enough of this city. It was great to look at, but the Ordinators made me uncomfortable. I delayed my departure just long enough to stop at the bookstore Huleeya had brought me to. Jo'Basha, the owner happily retrieved the book I needed from his back room. I left with one copy of "The Progress of Truth" weighing down my satchel.

As I appeared in the Balmora mages guild, Ajira was upon me almost instantly.

"How did it go? Did you make contact? Can we go home?"

I had no time to answer before Ranis Athrys interrupted with a haughty, rude demeanor. "Oh Ajira, will you stop hanging on him like some sort of pet? Honestly, it's embarrassing."

Ajira deflated, laying her ears back and turning to face the guildmaster.

Ranis continued, facing me now. "Dear Han lu. How fortunate you stopped by."

I held up my hand. "Easy there. I think I've had enough dealings with the mages guild. If you're offering work, just save your breath."

Ranis feigned shock, pressing a hand to her chest. "Why Han lu, whatever could have brought this on?"

I furrowed my brow and nodded toward Ajira, silently inquiring whether she really wanted to have this discussion in public? When she failed to respond, I answered simply. "I have no desire to continue in the business of political killings and extortion."

Ranis reached out and slapped me across the face. "How dare you accuse me of something so sordid." She reached out to hit me again, but I pinned her right arm to the wall with me left arm and pressed the blade of my knife to her throat.

"You don't know who you're dealing with bitch."

Ranis scoffed, despite the edge of the knife. "You will regret this. I am connected like you would not imagine."

I sneered and pressed the blade sharply against the skin. "I eat friends in high places for breakfast."

Ajira threw herself forward, grabbing my wrist. "Han lu, stop. You'll be arrested."

I maintained my position and Ranis smiled down at me. "Yes Han lu, think of your friend. Just imagine all the trouble you're causing for her."

Now I was angry. I let the knife slide, just a bit, slitting Ranis' skin just enough to draw blood. "You will do nothing to her. You will do nothing to me. You will forget all about this little standoff, or I will come for you." She matched the malice in my voice.

"I'm calling your bluff. You're a tool, not a mastermind. Without someone standing behind you, you won't take the risk." She spat in my face and sneered.

"Ajira, pack your things, you can't stay here anymore," I told her.

She hesitated, but only momentarily. She saw that it was dangerous to be around Ranis now. I held the guildmaster put in the alchemy room while Ajira packed. She smiled smugly as a line of blood ebbed down to her robes.

Ajira signaled that she was ready and I backed away. "You and I both know you don't have any fighters you can send after me. Drop this matter."

"Oh, I wouldn't be so sure," the Dunmer said, pressing a hand to her injured neck. "I always have a trick or two up my sleeve."

I backed out of the room with the knife outstretched, only sheathing it once I'd left Ranis behind. It was obvious that everyone in the basement was trying to look busy, ignoring what had just occurred.

I rushed Ajira out of the guild and up the street, helping her carry a trunk.

"Han lu, why did you do that? What happened with the smuggler? Where are we going?"

"We've been delayed," I explained. "Not for long, but it's becoming more complicated. I have to do a couple jobs for my contact before they'll put us on a ship."

"Ajira thought we just had to pay them. And now Ranis is after us. Han lu, this is falling apart."

"No," I insisted. "I grew up this way. Just trust me and we'll make it. We need to hide you for a couple days." I stopped in the market square.

"Wait here where the city guards can see you", I ordered. "I'll be right back with a plan."

My friend grabbed my sleeve to stop me. "Han lu, Ajira is frightened. Don't dig our graves any deeper."

I took a breath and wrapped my arms around the robed Khajiit. "Ajira, you're my only friend. I'm going to get us out of here safe, I'm going to introduce you to my family in Cyrodiil, and we're going to travel Tamriel like we planned. I promise I'll make it happen."

The cat took a few deep, frightened breaths. "Okay. Ajira will wait here."

I turned and hurried to the fighters guild. I scanned each room, looking for one particular person. I found him in the training room. "Wayn!" The Redguard dropped a lead weight he was exercising with and turned to me.

"Hey, Han lu." Wayn's voice was a soothing baritone. "I never see you anymore, what's going on?"

"I have a friend who's in some trouble," I rattled off. "Do you feel like taking an easy escort job?"

"Yeah, sure." Wayn turned to me, straightening to his impressive full height. "What do you need me to do?"

"You're going to take the silt strider to Vivec, but you're going to discreetly get off halfway and escort Ajira, the Mages guild alchemist to Seyda Neen instead. Most likely, you'll just need to help carry her trunk and scare off animals. Once you drop her off, you can't tell anyone about the job."

He nodded. "What's the pay?"

I breathed a sigh of relief, feeling that I could trust Wayn to be loyal to a contract. After a moment of thought I offered a generous 300 septims which he accepted, raising one eyebrow in surprised approval. Wayn was nothing like me, but he was the kind of person I could work with. Honest, but realistic. I left him to prepare and returned to Ajira. She stood right where I'd left her.

"You're going to hide in Seyda Neen until I come for you. I have an acquaintance from the fighters guild who will take you there. Rent a room in the top of Arrille's tradehouse. Take your meals in your room and tip the innkeeper to lie to anyone asking about you."

Ajira met my concerned gaze. "How many days?"

"If I'm not there in a week, find Addhiranirr in Vivec, either at the St. Olms Canton or the Foreign Quarter. Tell her you're Han lu's passenger and that you'll pay for passage. You do have money, right?"

Ajira nodded. "Eight thousand septims."

"Good." I waited with her until Wayn showed up. He wore a heavy steel cuirass and a shield and broadsword. Any more armor would have been overly cumbersome for this kind of job. In addition to his payment, I gave him twenty extra septims to pay the driver to keep quiet about the special stop. I joined the crowd of people in the street, still celebrating the harvest and scanned the crowd for anyone watching Ajira.

My instincts were more in tune with my former life now than they'd been since arriving on Vvardenfell. My eyes whipped to anyone whose gaze remained in Ajira's direction for more than a cursory moment. A Dunmer girl, glancing at a small group of children. A Bosmer merchant, watching as Ajira and Wayn, passed her stall. An Argonian beggar, staring after them forlornly before dropping his gaze to the street. On the roof of a cafe. An orc in mage robes. I recognized Sharn, from the mages guild.

She saw me spot her and instantly ran. I pushed through the crowd to the bottom of the stairwell where she had to emerge. She tried to dart back toward her guild, but I threw an arm around her torso and pulled her into the alley between the cafe and the next building. She swung around and battered at my face with her forearm. I grunted, nose stinging and eyes watering, but threw her deeper into the alley and drew my knife.

"Stop now…" Before I could finish a sentence, she had conjured a gleaming dagger to her hand and lunged for me. I jumped back and away to dodge, her conjured blade passing through where my stomach had just been. In the confined space, we didn't have much room to maneuver. I crouched, both hands out in front, my knife in my right. I waited for her inexperienced attack to come. She lunged forward, trying to cover more distance than an experienced fighter would have.

I grabbed at her knife hand and followed with a slash across her wrist. She naturally jumped back in shock, the dagger disapperating. I used my grip on her to throw her into the wall and twist her arm up behind her back.

I barked at her with the matter of fact tone of a judge speaking to a convict in his own courtroom. "Okay Orc. You have two options. I'll pay you forty septims to tell Ranis that Ajira left town alone on foot, headed north to Caldera or else the guards find your body in this alley when someone complains about the smell."

"Okay, okay," she sputtered in her toothy voice. "I'll do it."

"Good girl." I released her arm, but kept her pinned with one elbow while I counted the gold. After taking the money, she pressed the sleeve of her robe against her wound.

"I have no love for Ranis. I was just protecting my position. So I'll tell you something else. She spoke with an Altmer woman who's been asking around town about the whereabouts of her father. Ranis just told her you'd been assigned to escort him to Pelagiad and that was the last she'd heard of him."

I groaned slightly, remembering the scholar, Itermerel, whom I'd killed. "What does she look like?"

Sharn grunted. "Tall and pretty. Gold skin and hair. She wore serious looking gold colored armor. Not like those Ordinators. It was that lightweight high elf stuff."

I nodded. "Thanks for telling me. Now get out of here."

Sharn bowed her head and scurried away into the crowd, quite eager to get away from me.

I soon followed. Now that Ajira was taken care of, I had to bide my time until I was contacted by the thieves guild. I could report to Caius, but he might have another job for me to do. What I needed to do was kill time in such a way, that Caius wouldn't think I was putting him off.

On my way to the fighters guild, I thought of the book in my satchel. If Caius knew I was in town, which he undoubtedly did, I could just claim I wanted to read the Progress of Truth before reporting in.

I caught myself and ducked out of the crowd, into a stairwell at the sight of a tall gold figure waiting in front of the fighters guild. I peeked out to see the Altmer woman... no, girl, that Sharn had described. She was tall, around six feet, which wasn't that uncommon for High elves. She wore beautiful armor, the boots and gauntlets engraved with a feathery design. The helmet was not overly large, the angular carvings conforming to a practical shape, including a hooked nose guard reminiscent of an eagle's beak.

I couldn't say I'd heard of any group that wore armor such as this. I left the stairwell and headed the other direction, muttering, "This I do not need." I could no longer go to either guild, nor the cafe where I often ate, as some of my guild mates might have mentioned it to her. Instead, I crossed the river. When I thought about an inn I could board in, the one that made the most sense was the South Wall. There was no reason for the Altmer to look for me there and according to Caius, it was run by the thieves guild, so I'd be notified as soon as soon as they figured out what they wanted me to do for them.

Upon entering the place, I once again found a number of eyes on me, some of them lingering with a look between curiosity and recognition. I made my way to the basement taproom and went straight to the patron. The white haired, balding, Breton man looked at me curiously as I perched on a barstool.

"Do you know who I am?" I met his ponderous gaze.

"I think so."

"Good, I need a room."

He reached under the counter for a booking ledger. "For how long?"

"Until your people are done with me," I put simply.

"Very well sir." He put the ledger back under the counter without putting ink to it. He put a key on the counter with a number 6 stamped into the metal. "Compliments of the house."

I realized that unlike Wayn, these people were like me. We understood each other and that meant I had to be cautious around them. "Many thanks." I took the key and eagerly locked myself away in one of the rooms down a hall from the taproom, ignoring the silent stir my presence had created.


	41. Chapter 41 An Offer From GJS

In the dim candle lit room, I curled up on a comfortable queen sized bed with the book, Progress of Truth. I rested it on my knees and opened to the first pages. The introduction stated that the contents of this book contained the eight points of Temple Doctrine that the Dissident Priests had taken exception to and explained their opposition to each point.

First, the divinity of the Tribunal. While the Temple claims that the Tribunal's godhood was conferred upon them by the judgements of the Dunmeri ancestral saints including Veloth, Indoril Nerevar, and what the book claimed were the good Daedra. I could only assume it meant Mephala, Boethiah, and Azura, who were generally claimed by the Dunmer as some of their races creators. The Dissidents argued that the Tribunal's power came from some source at Red Mountain as did that of Dagoth Ur. Some priests claimed that in the Tribunals own secret writings reserved for the temple hierarchy mentioned the use of profanely enchanted tools originally created by the Dwemer peoples in order to gain their power. This was a moral contradiction seeing as the war at Red Mountain was fought to stop the Dwemer from developing their heathen magics and creating something called Numidium. It made no further explanation or mention of the strangely named construct.

The second point is the moral purity of the Tribunal. The Dissidents contend that the temple has maintained a superficial history of the Tribunals deeds as saintly, heroic beings while hiding the true histories that reveal their more human failings. This is particularly true of the account of the events at Red Mountain. Once again, this called into question the true scope of the threat of Dagoth Ur and the Tribunal's diminishing ability to protect Vvardenfell from him.

Third are the accounts of the Battle of Red Mountain itself. Ashlander histories don't place any of the Tribunal at Red Mountain during the battle and claim that the Dwemer destroyed themselves as opposed to the temples official history that the Dwemer were overrun by Nerevar's armies. Furthermore, the Ashlanders tell that Nerevar left Dagoth Ur, one of his generals to guard the profane secrets of the Dwemer while he left to council with the then named grand council. It was at this meeting Nerevar died, rather than dying of his wounds later. The Grand Council, soon to be Tribunal, then confronted Dagoth Ur who refused to bow to their will.

The fourth point addressed the issue of worship at large. It stated that the Temple had abandoned many of the rightful practices of ancestor worship and had replaced them with their own veneration.

At this point, I was beginning to tire, not bored of the text in any manner, but discouraged by the scholarly language used. The title of the next section drew my attention back. The 5th point was the denial of the prophecies of the incarnate and persecution of the Nerevarine. While the Dissidents reached no consensus on the legitimacy of the the Nerevarine prophecies, they agreed that the reasoning for the persecution of its followers was unjust and could only be politically motivated. The Dissidents made a full study of the prophetic rituals of the Ashland tribes and many have become staunch believers as a result.

I continued to read, finally letting my drowsiness overcome me as I read of the political abuse of the temple's power. My restfulness didn't last long. A rumbling voice called to me. "Sad boy. Poor fool. Come to me before they come for you." A troop of Ordinators rammed through my door and rushed the room. I woke up when I hit the floor. The dream had caused me to start from my bed and I groaned from the pain of landing on my shoulder. There was a knock at my door which had probably inspired the end of the nightmare in the first place.

I crawled to my feet and answered, taking a moment to draw my sword. I cracked the door open to see a short calico Khajiit holding a wrapped parcel. "Han lu, it is time," she purred.

I opened the door and she slipped in, barring the door behind her. "This one is Sugar Lips Habasi. She is pleased to meet you Han lu." She held the package in front of her. "We haven't much time. Take this package. It contains everything you need. Speak to no one concerning your activities tonight." With that, she pushed the package into my hands and slipped back out the door.

I quickly rebarred the door and opened the package. It contained a note, a vial, and a dull, grey green cloak. After a quick inspection, I noticed nothing special about the cloak and didn't recognize the brown goop in the vial. I turned to the letter.

Dear hireling,

Please know that we have gone to the greatest pains to protect your identity. That said, I've personally made quite the study of you. Such a history. Needless to say, I have a great interest in acquiring your services for as long as possible and would gladly employ you if you were to change your mind and remain here in Vvardenfell. Alas, perhaps it is not to be. As for your offer, I gladly accept. Looking at the work history I was able to steal from the Imperials, I have decided to put you to work in an area less suited to my guild and more tailored to your forte. As you know from your prior dealings with this organization, we are at war with a local group. I have assigned you two missions. First, there are two members of the local council club I need killed, as they have been a great hindrance to my work. You need not know their names.

The first member of our guild you dealt with will be arriving to Balmora on the 6 PM silt strider. This agent will attend the celebrations of the last evening of the harvest celebration. You will tail this agent. Throughout the night, they will mark your two targets with a white flower on their lapels. They must be slain before the night is through. The methods are up to you, just be sure not to incriminate our agent. I have provided you with a deadly poison as an extra assurance and a cloak of chameleon to help you remain unnoticed.

The second job is to assist in the ambush of a caravan run by my rivals. You will meet your contact for that job at the house of earthly delights in Suran tomorrow morning. Ask the matron for Marelle.

Should you successfully complete these two jobs, there will be room for you on a ship called Northern Pride on the coast an hours walk south from Hia Oad. It will depart in the early morning of the day after your second assignment. Your passage will be paid for along with that of your guest.

Best of wishes in your future endeavors.

Graciously,

GJS.

PS. Burn this letter.

I held the letter over my candle and let it be consumed before dropping it onto an earthenware platter. I donned my gear and added the cloak, leaving the hood off and letting it hang straight down my back rather than draping it over my shoulders. I examined my bow, having not taken particular care of the bowstring. I rubbed the slightly frayed cord with the side of the candlestick and made sure to rub the wax into the fibers before leaving the room.

With my new timetable in mind, I decided I needed to see Caius once more and try to throw him off my trail. I found him at home and he eagerly took the notes and book I'd brought him. After receiving my verbal account of what had happened, he stared at me for a short while. "Is there anything else you'd like to tell me Han lu?"

I screamed in my head. He couldn't know about the smuggler. Please don't let him know about the smuggler. I took a steadying breath. "There was an… attack." He nodded with concern in his eyes, waiting for me to continue. "A number of people confronted me on a bridge in Vivec. They seemed to be in a trance. They spoke as a group and called themselves Dreamers."

Caius leaned forward, taking a sheaf of paper and a charcoal. "I'd heard of the attack, but the Temple seems to be suppressing the details. Tell me everything." I did so and Caius wrote everything in as great of detail as I would provide.

"Caius," I said after finishing my account. "Who are these people? Why does an ancient demon want me to come to Red Mountain? Could it have something to do with the work we're doing?"

He concentrated on his notes. "It is undoubtedly connected, although I can't be sure how he knows of you." He made a few more notes. "I'll have to have someone investigate the ghostgate and see if they can pry any information out of the priests and the Ordinators there."

"Caius!" He jumped, surprised by my abruptly raised voice. "This is not what I was recruited for! You never mentioned I might attract the attention of the Tribunal's own devil! How am I supposed to sleep or walk down the street, knowing that he can just take the mind of the closest person and order them to stab me?"

Caius chuckled. "On the contrary, you seem to have the least to be afraid of. He invited you to his domicile, quite cordially too. If it were a matter of him wanting you dead, I'm sure he'd have taken you over and forced you to take your own life." He rubbed his chin. "I can't believe this opportunity. I have the chance to send an agent straight into Red Mountain and speak to Dagoth Ur himself."

"Caius!" I shrieked incredulously.

"I know, I know. Obviously, we can't really do it, but we don't want to miss an opportunity just because we didn't think it through. Perhaps we could send a decoy? I wonder if I could send another disguised as you. I'll have to think on the matter. Anyway, I'm very pleased with the work you've done. I have a line on a possible contact among the Ashlanders. We need to start investigating them ourselves, although if we could just find these Dissident Priests, surely they could more easily provide us with a wealth of information on what we need. Still, I need time to digest what you've told me and I don't have a name for you to go after yet." He waved his hand at the door, once again turning to the materials I'd brought him. I hesitated, having one more thing to ask. Caius noticed and sighed. "Anything else on your mind?"

"Itermerel's daughter. Apparently Ranis from the mages guild has put her on my tail."

"I expected as much. She's young, but she has a fearsome reputation. Her father was quite wealthy from his published research and he toured all of Tamriel. His daughter, Cindana, grew up on the road with him. I wish there was something I could do for you, but you made your bed in this matter. You're going to have to sleep in it."

I shrugged. "You seemed to show some amount of care for her when you confronted me about her father. I just wanted you to realize that if she confronts me, I may have to kill her."

Caius turned the page, purposefully pretending not to pay attention to me. "So the cycle of blood will continue. As I said, it's your problem, not mine."

"As long as we understand one another." I closed the door behind me. I'd done it. If all went well, I'd never have to speak to Caius again.


	42. Chapter 42 Murder In Balmora

Not an hour later, I was up the street from the silt strider station, hiding behind a pawnbroker. I had bought two arrows of light elven make and coated them with the poison. This way, if I was questioned in connection to the murders, there would be no correlation with the arrows used in the crime and the remaining orc made arrows in my quiver.

I waited for the silt strider to arrive and my thoughts began to swim. The sound of the Dreamers echoed in my head. "Come to Red Mountain."

'Why,' I questioned? 'What could I possibly have to gain?'

I took my map from my satchel and opened the worn paper to view the middle of the island. In one corner, next to the fold I could see Balmora and the Foyoda Mamea, the volcanic canyon leading down from Red mountain. The rocky rugged area was marked with a border line, labeled as the Ghostfence, which encompassed a number of square miles around the volcanic center. The Foyoda itself led to a large marked building called Ghostgate. Tracing the route, I figured that if I left now, I could be there before morning. Of course, that was barring an ash storm and assuming I didn't run into obstacles. I'd need torches, I thought.

I laid the map on my lap. Had I actually slipped into considering this? I scolded myself, angrily folding the map and stuffing it in my bag. I forced my mind to lie idle as I peered around the corner of the building, concentrating on the revelers. Music played from the square of the financial district. There was singing, dancing, storytelling, and even a couple entertainers such as a mage who used illusion magic to make shapes of colored light and a number of jesters and comedians.

I partook in none of it. Thinking of Ajira closed in an upstairs inn room, fearful of enemies finding her rid me of any desire for merriment. I was obliged to concentrate on my task and get Ajira home. It now encompassed more than my own desire to return to Cyrodiil.

The sun slowly set and as the sky turned from blue to peach in color, I heard the coming of the silt strider. While waiting for it's arrival, I pulled the cloak around my shoulders to fend off the cool air. The nights were getting colder with the growing season officially marked as over for the year. If I had the chance, I decided to buy a heavier shirt or a jacket before leaving for Suran.

The silt strider stopped at the platform and a number of passengers disembarked, some greeted by waiting friends. I searched the faces of the Dunmer women among the group until I spied Safia Dren. She wore a travel cloak over whatever party clothes she had chosen for this occasion. A young Dunmer man stepped forward to offer a helping hand as she stepped from the silt striders back. I recognized him as one of the fighters guild members. Balyn Omavel, the only other Dunmer member of the Fighters guild.

He greeted her with a kiss to the back of her hand before escorting her, arm in arm, to the roof of the Council club.

I had planned on the possibility that she would mark my targets there. I rose and walked briskly through the streets to an alley one building away from the Council club. In the alley, I found a Dunmer couple kissing voraciously. Needing the alley to myself, I threw my hood on and threw my arms in the air. "Ooga booga!" My shouting caught the couple by surprise and they fled in fright.

With the spot all to myself, I took a discarded barrel and stood on it to reach the gutters of the store. I pulled myself to the roof and concealed myself behind a chimney. This put me on an equal elevation with the council club roof. It wasn't an ideal position, but there were no nearby buildings tall enough to give me a birds eye view.

I scanned the private party for Safia. I spotted her, still with Balyn, chatting up the other party goers. A servant took her cloak, revealing a dark blue dress that complimented her skin which seemed almost pearlescent in the moonlight. I settled in, activating the cloaks chameleon ability. It was low level magic, but the tradeoff was that it's spell would last longer than one that could hide me completely. By feeling out with my own magic to the enchanted cloth, I gauged the speed of the energy drain and figured I had well over an hour before the spell would fail.

Now was the time to wait. I watched and watched till my legs grew stiff. It must have been a half hour before a courier found Safia at a table with Balyn. I'd grown increasingly impatient, not from anxiety, but because of Balyn. I didn't care for the way he looked at Safia. 'I wasn't jealous,' I told myself before proceeding to justify my feelings logically. He seemed smug, almost like they were a couple, but hadn't he attended her fathers party with another woman only a week ago? Surely they couldn't be that close.

When they were interrupted by a young Dunmer boy carrying a bouquet of flowers, Safia placed a hand to her chest, face glowing with delight. Balyn looked confused, almost annoyed. She took the bouquet and the courier left.

Balyn spoke. I guessed he was asking about the flowers. Safia smiled, leaning in, plucking one of the flowers from the bouquet and tucking it in his lapel. If it was white, then it meant she was marking Balyn as one of my targets. It was yellow. I realized I'd been holding my breath and let it go. I resigned myself to letting Safia take her time. To her credit, nobody would have guessed she was up to something. Like a social butterfly, she floated from conversation to conversation, leaving the occasional corsage. None of them were white.

Finally, she and Balyn went to address a pair of Dunmer men at a table on the edge of the roof. It was not the edge facing me, but after a short talk I distinctly saw her draw two white roses, proffering them to the men. One quickly accepted, attaching the gift to his lapel while the other took the rose, but continued to hold it in his hand. He waited until Safia and Balyn moved on to place the rose on the table.

I took this as my signal. True, she hadn't pinned the flower to his lapel as instructed, but I'd keep watching for a bit to ensure she didn't mark another target. First, I lowered myself from the roof and ran to find another position with a clear shot on my targets. I pulled myself to another rooftop that gave me a clear view of the two Dunmer. I drew my bow, hampered by the fabric of the cloak. I readied myself with an arrow knocked, looking for Safia to make sure she was done marking targets.

A scream pierced the night and I spotted Safia, clutching at her mouth. Next to her, Balyn fell to his knees, an arrow protruding from his throat. I hesitated as the party fell into pandemonium. My eyes caught a glimpse of a figure drop from the rooftop where I'd been perched a few moments ago. The only telling detail I caught was a green scaled tail before its owner slipped from his roof and into the night.

I sprang into action, drawing my bow and sighting the short distance to the Council club roof. I took one target through the chest before the party goers started fleeing in reaction to Balyn's death. Someone yelled, "Archers, take cover!"

I drew the second arrow and loosed it as soon as I had acquired my target. Too slow, as the wizened old elf had thrown his table over and ducked behind it. My arrow thudded into the wood, causing me to curse.

The party broke up as people scattered, some dodging their way to the stairwell and others, like my target, throwing themselves over the rail and down into the alley.

I rolled off the roof and into another alley, turning the corner down the alley that led to the corner club. To my surprise, I was faced with three Dunmer from the party who had decided to pursue me, one of whom was my target.

Bow still in hand, I drew one of my orcish arrows and shot the first figure who fell with a pained battle cry. I dropped the bow as the second pursuer closed on me. He held a conjured spear, though in his excitement, he forgot how to put it to best effect. He charged in an attempt to skewer me through the chest.

I easily warded the spear to one side with my hand. He continued forward, unable to stop his momentum. Before our bodies collided, I put my hand on the pommel of my sword. I took the tackle, bracing one leg behind me and as soon as he drew back, I whipped the orcish sword out of the sheath and slashed him from one corner of the belly to the opposite side shoulder. He stumbled back and grabbed at his wound to keep his innards inside him. A bolt of light arced into existence and on pure instinct, I threw up a ward spell. My clumsy effort resulted in a slightly reduced bolt of fire, striking me in the face.

I fell to the ground, patting at my smoldering eyebrows and hair. I scooted back away from my foe, but was met with a heavy booted kick to the ribs. I rolled with the kick, tears drawn to the eye I could still see out of. My target raised a hand and again spouted flame. I responded with my ward spell, this time better prepared and able to withstand the full damage. I'd dropped my sword, so I drew for my knife and lunged, shaping the ward to brush his flames off to one side. I caught the surprised Dunmer in the stomach with the blade. Before he could respond, I grabbed his left arm and pushed the gout of fire away while pulling him into a second stab. I threw him into the wall and continued my jabbing motion. I was interrupted by a pain in my right shoulder as the Dunmer's own short sword slashed at me.

My counter was instinctive. I drove my forehead into his nose, withdrew my knife, battered his sword arm away with my knife side, and slashed him along the bicep. I finished with a stab at his throat before others from the Council club spotted us. I dropped the old man and took my weapons from the ground before fleeing in the opposite direction. There was no more reason to stick around now that my target was wounded beyond healing.

I could hear people in pursuit, yelling out an alert that there was an assassin on the run. I broke from the alley onto the riverfront and ducked into the crowd. I sheathed the sword, still slick with blood and knew it would dry, glueing the blade to the sheath and leaving a lingering smell. Maybe a soldier could take the time to worry about such a thing, but I had bigger problems.

I walked towards the north end of town, leaving my hood off to blend in with the majority Dark elf crowd. When I tried to shoulder the bow, I lost patience in trying to tuck it under the cloak. Fearing it could be used to identify me, I ditched it in the Odai river. I then cut the strap on my quiver and shrugged it out from under the cloak and tossed that evidence too. The best plan of action would be to get out of town. As I neared the north wall, I saw that it was well guarded. I might be able to talk my way out if it wasn't for my bleeding shoulder.

If I could find a group that was leaving, I could try to blend in, but nobody else approached the exit. I crossed the river and walked south. I could maybe get to the South wall cornerclub, but the guards would be searching the city soon and I didn't want to get stuck inside the walls.

I tended to my shoulder with some healing magic, healing the surface and stopping the bleeding, although the muscles underneath felt like they were only attached by a thread. For the moment, there was nothing I could do about the torn and bloodied cloak. I considered trying to scale the mountains on either side of the Odai valley, but that was not likely to go unnoticed by the city residents or the guards, even with the aid of the cloaks magic. If I couldn't come up with something soon, I'd have no choice but to get off the streets.

I focused on a pair of boats in the river. A number of young Dunmer men were at the oars, racing each other and I couldn't help but notice that the teams were lopsided. A couple Dunmer youths cheered at them from atop one of the bridges as they approached. Seeing my opportunity, I ran to the bridge, putting on a celebratory grin and tapped one of the youths on the shoulder.

"Come on, let's even the sides," I encouraged him. He watched as I lowered myself off the side of the bridge, hanging by my fingers and waited for the rowboat to pull up underneath me. The elves laughed as I lowered myself into their boat and found an empty seat next to an oarlock. I took the oar and stifled grunts of pain from my screaming shoulder.

The other Dunmer from the bridge lowered himself on the other side and took a position.

"Come on boys! I bet we can overtake those other guys before the next river bend." The next river bend was a little ways beyond the city wall. My ploy worked perfectly, playing on their competitive natures and youthful enthusiasm. These dark elves who'd never met me accepted the comical way I'd joined them without question and we rowed. They catcalled at the other boat as we gained on them. I realized as I watched them that they were my age. For about two minutes, I could almost imagine I was one of them. I pretended that my parents had been some of the vendors hawking their wares in the market day after day. I imagined that I'd grown up with these boys in the boat and we'd gotten into trouble and ran through the streets playing and talked about girls and for a few moments, the weight of being an assassin left me entirely. I closed my eyes and rowed, listening to their good natured heckling.

As soon as we passed under the portion of the city wall that arched over the Odai, someone yelled at us. "Stop the boats!" I looked up to see an unarmored Dunmer standing next to one of the Hlaalu guards on the wall. "The city is being locked down. A murderer is on the loose. Pull your boats to the river edge and identify yourselves."

The racers moved to comply. I followed suit. We were moving downstream, so we were still going to wind up just outside town. Our boats were pulled over to the side where the bottoms dragged in the mud. The others all stood to carefully file onto shore where two guards and three other Dunmer were already approaching, but I let them go around me. When no one was behind me, I leaned over the edge of the boat and dipped my hand in the water, sinking it to the mud so I could lower myself into the water as silently as possible. It was dark now, with only the faintest hint of the sun's light on the horizon. Armed with torches, the guards couldn't illuminate the whole area.

I slipped into the water, the cold taking my breath away. The current immediately carried me south, away from the city. I struggled to take a breath and fully submerged myself. I felt my way along the bottom for as long as I could hold that breath and when I had to surface, I did so quietly. I looked back to the group ten or fifteen feet away. They were glancing around, confused at the disappearance of the guy with the cloak. One of them spotted my head sticking out of the water and pointed.

Throwing subtlety to the wind, I thrashed to the edge and climbed the river bank, making a break for the wilderness. I made a few desperate strides before an awful tearing pain ripped through my right thigh. I crashed to the ground in a soaking heap, clutching at the arrow in my leg. Thinking fast, I pushed the tip through the skin with one smooth shove before the shock wore off. Through tear streaked eyes, I saw the bloody steel broadhead break through the skin. I took and broke the tip off, but the pain laid me out on the ground, sending my head for a spin. I was unable to recover before a number of Dunmer laid their hands on me. I was forced into a kneeling position and my hands were bound behind my back. The tipless arrow was left where it was. Painful yes, but it would bleed less than if it were removed and left untreated.

The guards were arguing with one of the older Dunmer men. "Stand down and surrender the suspect. Need I remind you who the law is here?"

"If memory serves, House Hlaalu is the law in Balmora and this is a personal matter of one of the Hlaalu councilmen. By all means, take the prisoner. Let's see you explain to Orvas Dren why he had to personally come to town to conduct his business."

The composite armored guards looked at each other through eye slits in their helmets. One of them gestured back toward the city with a jerk of his head. They spared me one more glance before turning back to the city gates, leaving me with four of Dren's men. Two of them, I noticed, had been riding the boats with me. These younger two held me in place while the leader, a nobel in a classy flared sleeved shirt and black vest turned from the guards to me.

"Now, who are you and who sent you?" I turned my head to where one of the lackeys was holding my shoulder and bit his wrist. My teeth drew blood and he let go, but the other stomped on my leg right over the arrow wound, throwing me into a fit of pain. I gasped to breath as the leader grabbed my chin and made me face him. "Don't make this worse for yourself S'wit. There's no need to bring yourself more unnecessary pain. Who is your employer?" I shivered, forcing myself not to speak.

Looking disappointed, the leader turned to the young guys. "Put him on his feet." He turned away, letting the fourth Dunmer confront me. This one wore a short mohawk and rolled up the sleeves of his party clothes. He punched me once in the gut, hard. I gagged, feeling bile burn in my throat. The two behind me prevented me from falling by holding my arms.

"This can end as soon as you want," the leader offered. I caught my breath and gazed blankly downward. How many times had I been on the other end of this? The thought of the things I'd done for my father made me weak in the knees. I idly wondered how far they were willing to go in interrogating me.

My beating almost seemed poetically just, bruising my ribs and eventually my face. It all paled in comparison to the things I'd done. The first time I'd tortured, it had been an Imperial legionary. Father had me break his fingers one by one with a blacksmith's hammer. I remembered an orcish laborer I'd teased with a red hot iron rod. All in the name of blackmail. I couldn't help but empathize with my victims in that moment. How could I reconcile those crimes? How had my father?

A fist caught me across the face and I heard my nose crack. I lost all conscious thought for a few moments and a deep voice echoed in my head.

"I will stand by you against those who betrayed you. Come to Red Mountain."

The face of my torturer came into focus. He held my head up by my hair, or at least the part that hadn't been scorched off. "Who is your employer." His eyes searched mine, but finding no answer, he pulled a stiletto dagger from a sheath and laid it against my cheek. "Don't make me resort to something worse."

To my surprise, the Dunmer holding my left shoulder let go. The torturer glared daggers at him. "What are you doing?"

"Come to Red Mountain," he chanted, like he was in a trance. The torturer stood, eyes wide.

"Get ahold of yourself son, we're working!"

"The Sixth house asks you let this one go."

The other lackey turned to his friend. "Come on man, this is serious. Snap out of it." The torturer raised his dagger to the entranced Dunmer as if in fear. The mind slave responded.

"Do not make me kill you, servants of house Hlaalu. Spilling pure Dunmer blood will not benefit Morrowind."

The torturer took hold of the traitors shirt. "I'm giving you to the count of three to wipe that look off your face and start talking sense." He pressed the tip of the dagger to the youth's throat. "One." He paused. The entranced one looked him in the eyes, unblinking. "Two."

The mind slave slowly shook his head in warning. "Don't."

"Three." The dagger slid smoothly into the center of the young Dunmers throat. He collapsed immediately, suddenly vividly aware of himself. Gurgling screams could be heard on the river bank behind me. The torturer turned back to me. "The whole world's gone mad."

Suddenly the air crackled with magic. I gasped, and coughed when I took in a breath of air that was laden with ash that hadn't been there a moment before. I fell to my knees and waited for the air to clear. Three new figures appeared out of thin air, each one engaging one of my enemies. Two were identical. They wore ash grey robes, the color of which was indistinguishable from the skin of their faces. On their faces, they wore strange gold masks over their eyes with gold chains hanging over where the eye holes ought to be. Instead of a nose, they had short trunks like I'd seen on drawings of animals from Elsweyr and Valenwood called elephants. These two figures each laid a hand on the face of one of the Dunmer detaining me. Their victims shook as if being shocked, their screams muffled by a hand.

I scooted away from them and ended up snapping the shaft of the arrow in my thigh on the ground. The pressure tore at the wound, putting me into another fit of pain. Through my tears, I could make out the third figure as being enormous. He stood at least seven feet tall. He wore only a red loincloth with a belt. It looked mostly like a Dunmer except that it had a black wiry beard.

This last figure picked up the torturer by the neck with one hand and with a single shake, the neck snapped audibly. The figure dropped the meaty bag of bones on the ground and turned to me with a voice both deep and smooth. "My master beseeches you to visit his hall at Red Mountain." He put an open hand to his bare, muscular chest and bowed slightly. The two ash priests dropped their victims and vanished, once again spreading ash into the air. The tall figure stretched a hand out to me and the leather bindings around my wrists creaked and snapped in half. He pointed to the bridge just south of us that led past Fort Moonmoth and into the Foyoda up to Red Mountain.

"Join us."

He too disappeared in a cloud of ash, leaving me alone with four dead bodies. I hugged my leg, knowing I had to tend to that injury, but pausing for a moment to stare at the path to Red Mountain.

"No," I said to myself. "I'm definitely getting out of here."


	43. Chapter 43 Temptation and Innocence

I walked to Suran. I was cold, wet, injured, and scared out of my mind that a wizard made from ash would teleport out of nowhere at any time to kill me. The sun had risen by the time I entered the city gates. My leg ached, no longer life threatening as I'd been able to stop the bleeding, but it was still plenty painful. I asked a guard where I could find the house of earthly delights.

"It's a bit early for that, don't you think stranger?" I couldn't answer. At the blank look of exhaustion I gave him, the guard propped his spear on his shield arm and pointed up the street. "Look for the red lantern on the front of the building."

I turned to see that it was less than a block away. Summoning up my strength, I completed my journey. At the door, I hesitated. What kind of place was this again? If it was a house, I should knock, but it had a sign out front that looked as though it was some kind of business. I cracked the door open and saw a mostly empty taproom. Deciding it was a business, I entered.

Inside, a couple of men sat at a table. I went to the bar and, finding it empty, rapped on the counter with my knuckles.

"I'll be but a moment dear," a sweet human voice called from a backroom. I leaned heavily on the counter for support. A few moments later, a Breton woman glided out of the back room and to the bar. The first thing I inevitably noticed was her suggestive clothing. Her top was fine silk and left her shoulders and stomach fully exposed. The thin white material almost let you make out the shapes on the other side.

She covered her mouth and stifled a gasp at the sight of me. "Why dear boy, you look like you've had a terrible trial." Her manners were very purposefully feminine. She leaned on the bar across from me, her chest noticeably jutting forward over the counter. I tried to ignore it. "What is it I can do for you stranger?"

"Are you the matron," I asked, staying focused on the task at hand?

"I am Helviane Desele and yes, I own the house of earthly delights. Now which of your guilty pleasures can we satisfy?"

"I'm just looking for a woman named Marelle."

Recognition flashed in her eyes. "Are you the one who's on business with my associates at the South Wall?" She flashed a gleaming white smile behind full, dark red lips.

"That's me," I admitted.

"Well, you'll be happy to know that your stay has been paid for in full by your employer. While you're here, you are welcome to any and all of the services we offer." Desele took a small silver bell from behind the counter and gave it a ring. A clothesless Khajiit woman descended some stairs.

"You called Mistress."

"Yes Khinjarsi. This is Marelle's appointment. See that his needs are taken care of."

"Of course Mistress Desele." The Khajiit turned to me, smiling slyly. "The Gentleman with follow Khinjarsi."

I took a deep breath and forced my pained leg to take me up the stairs after her. I could smell a number of things on the air, one of which stood out to me as skooma. It seemed a number of different perfumes also vied for attention.

"Forgive my ignorance ma'am," I asked, reverting to the Imperial term I'd grown up with. "Just what kind of business is this?"

Khinjarsi smiled and stopped a Dunmer girl in a short skirted maids outfit. She took a food tray from her and dismissed her. "This is a place where men can take care of whatever needs they have, whether it be food, drink, elixir, or…" she fell silent, picking grape and drawing dangerously close to me until she was practically hanging on me. "Anything." She pressed the grape to my lips, giving me the most suggestive look I'd ever gotten.

My gut clenched, but I cursed silently at the memory of Addhiranirr. What was with these Khajiit? Why did they act so… sexy? Except for Ajira.

I reached up and took her hand with the grape in it, directing it away from my face. "What I need is to meet Marelle."

Khinjarsi smirked. "Very well." She turned and led the way to one door of many in a long hallway. She rapped on the door with her knuckles. "Marelle. Your dark elf is here. And he's very excited to see you," she added teasingly, making me blush.

"Please, come in," a silkie voice answered. Khinjarsi curtsied and left. I opened the door, somewhat expecting what I found. Marelle was another Breton, although, younger than Desele. And prettier. Her clothes were silken and once again, thin and very revealing. Her fine face barely showed any trace of the part elven genealogy of her people with round ears and eyes.

I entered and closed the door behind me. From her seat on the bed, Marelle asked, "What is it I can help you with?"

I grunted. "Spare me the innuendo. I have a job to do."

The courtesan stood and lit a candelabra to see me better. " No reason to be so brusque. Someone from the guild will be along to fetch you when they need you, but that could be hours from now." She took a look at me and pursed her lips. "Perhaps you'd be more interested in a hot bath than in my, usual ministrations. Shall I draw one for you?"

I took a deep breath. "I never asked for anything like this. What's the game?"

Marelle rolled her eyes, brushing my cheek as she crossed to the door. "The only reason you'd be sent here is if someone is trying to get on your good side. Do make yourself comfortable."

She excused herself, leaving me in a room of fineries, decorated with velvet drapes, silk sheets, and a canvas painting which caught my eye. I recognized the scene as the port of the Cyrodilic city of Anvil. I laid on the bed, clothes still damp, and closed my eyes. I focused my thoughts on getting home. Mother would have left a trail for me, but it had been half a year or more. How would I track her down?

A knock at the door caused me to start awake. "Begging your pardon Sera, but your bath is ready."

I groaned slightly. "Yes, I'm coming."

Marelle led me to a bathhouse in the rear section of the building. There were six brass tubs all in the same room. Bath houses were a custom from Cyrodiil that I had grown up with, however I'd never attended a bathhouse in… well, a brothel. In Cyrodiil, public bathhouses were strictly segregated for decency, but it seemed that in here, the courtesans attended to the male baths.

There were two women besides Marelle. The Khajiit, Khinjarsi, who was tending a fire to heat the bathwater and a Nord woman who was massaging the shoulders of a burly Nord man in one of the other tubs. I hesitated after finding the tub that had been filled for me.

Marelle seemed to know exactly what was troubling me. "Feel free to undress. We're not here to judge."

I moistened my lips, not meeting her eyes, but began to disrobe. I took off my cloak and shirt which she offered to take. "I don't suppose I could have those washed and mended, could I?"

"Of course muthsera." I turned so I was facing away from everyone as I stripped off the pants and underwear and quickly sunk into the tub. The Nord man laughed.

"What's wrong son, do you have a small knob?"

I went red in the face and leaned back in the tub. "Well, it's really none of your business, but I was captured and castrated by an enemy."

"Ooh," the Nord said with a pained expression. "In that case I apologize, I wouldn't have brought it up if…"

"Just forget it," I cut him off.

He fell silent, but only for a few moments. "I have to ask," he ventured carefully. "Can you still, you know… Get it up?"

I reached up to massage the bridge of my nose. "I don't rightly know. I haven't… been with anyone before." I of course knew what he was talking about. Despite being a virgin, I'd felt what every young man feels during puberty, but even when flirting with Addhiranirr, I hadn't noticed the familiar pressure. "Even so, I'm not comfortable discussing it with a stranger."

"Of course, where are my manners? My name is Snorri." I gave him a longsuffering glance as he made to bow dramatically from his tub. He looked like a typical Nord berserker. His face was covered in blue tattoos and his long hair was loose and wet, but looked like it was usually braided in several places. His beard was moderate for a Nord, well kempt and short. I suspected that it was trimmed recently as a part of this spa treatment. His shoulders were broad and I assumed he was quite tall when standing upright. "Forgive me, my curiosity often gets the better of me. Still, if you want to know what still works down there, there's no better place in Vvardenfell to figure it out than here. Isn't that right Runa?"

"That's what we're here for," the Nord woman said. She turned to me. "Our dear Marelle has a thing for Dark elves. She'll treat you well."

I turned to stare at the ceiling, wishing the conversation to end. Instead of giving a response, I lifted my injured leg out of the water. Pink, tender skin covered the entry and exit wound from the arrow that had struck me. I gently scrubbed off the blood that had caked onto the skin overnight. The spot was still very tender and I knew the muscle was mangled. I'd walk with a limp until I healed it properly.

I closed my eyes, feeling the spot with my fingers and visualizing the severed tissues stretching back into place. I couldn't quite suppress my pained groan as the tissues obeyed my will. Once in place, I directed the muscle to start binding itself back together until my magic reserve ran dry. Becoming sleepy again, I was only vaguely aware of Marelle returning from wherever my clothes had been taken to.

"Could I interest you in a haircut while you're relaxing?"

I forced my eyes open. "Do you have a mirror so I can see the damage?" The Breton fetched one, handing it to me. My hair was not only singed, but melted into clumps on the left two thirds of my scalp. "I suppose one is in order."

"I'd ask how you want it styled, but considering the state of your hair, I'm afraid we'll just have to shave it. There's not enough left to save for anything else."

I nodded sullenly and leaned my head back. Marelle procured some shears, shaving cream, and a straight razor. It took some work to separate the clumps from my scalp without stabbing me with the shears or tearing at my scalp, but the courtesans hands were steady and gentle as she patiently worked on me. Once the clumps were removed, she rubbed the shaving cream into what remained of my hair and went to work with the razor.

"Don't talk and stay still sera." With skill, she scraped the edge over my scalp, parting the hairs from their follicles without harming the skin.

"I think you'd look good with one of those mohawks some of you Dunmer warriors wear," Snorri offered from his tub.

I waited for Marelle to dry my clean shaved scalp with a towel before running my hands over the smooth surface. "I think it may be awhile before my hair can be styled again. Besides, I try not to call attention to myself."

Snorri chuckled as Runa rebraided his hair. "You elves are funny with your sneaky ways. I figure my appearance ought to be striking to put fear into the hearts of my opponents."

I gestured for a towel from Marelle and stood, wrapping myself and stepping out of the tub. "That's a difference between us Nord. My opponents rarely see me at all." I turned to Marelle who offered me a robe. "I'll be returning to my room now."

"Of course sera."

I let her show me the way, having forgotten which room was mine. She opened one of the rooms and stepped in, proffering me inside. "We'll bring your clothes for you once they are dry. Is there anything else I can offer you?"

"No, that will be all. Thank you." I realized she wasn't leaving and turned back to her. She had closed the door behind her and was advancing on me.

"Are you sure sera. Food, drink, massage?" She placed her hands on my sides. "Me?"

I froze as her face drew nearer to mine, but didn't quite close the distance. My chest seemed to tighten and I could feel my heart hammering in my chest. A heat flared inside me, similar to when I used magic, but less controlled and more visceral like an animal. In a burst of desire, I leaned in and pressed my lips to hers. I took her lower lip between my own and gently suckled at it before pulling away. She didn't let the separation last. Her lips were back upon mine in a moment, pulling me back to her. Her hands moved up to my back, pulling my body against hers. Her fingers brushed over the newly healing cut on my shoulder and I had to pull back with a quiet hiss of pain.

"Easy on the shoulder." She moved that hand to my chest, working it past the folds of my robe to feel the muscle underneath. Her other hand went to the back of my now bald head, pulling me back to her lips and gently stimulating the sensitive hair follicles.

I found myself reciprocating, running my hand through her hair and tracing the curves of her body. Kissing Marelle was different than any girl I'd kissed before. A guildmaster's daughter in Bruma, the counts niece in Leyawiin. I'd romanced both of them as a part of a job, but this time, there was no looking over my shoulder, no pressing for information in weak moments or stealing when her back was turned. There was just warmth and contact. I wanted this. I wanted someone to be close to. For once, I could miss having close family without feeling empty. Without wishing for human contact. Marelle was here and she wanted me. It was so good to be wanted for something other than killing."

She wrapped her arms around my neck and slid one thigh up between my legs. I felt a definite stirring down there. She broke lip contact and slid her cheek on mine till her lips were at my ear. "Take me to bed you rugged Dunmer."

This gave me pause. I forced myself to stop and think while she suckled on my earlobe and kissed along my jawline. Despite the need I felt in my chest and groin, I pulled back. "I… I can't."

"Come on, just follow my lead."

I laid a firm hand on her side. "I can't do that. I shouldn't even be doing this." She looked dejected as I pulled away.

"What's wrong Han lu? Why shouldn't you be able to enjoy yourself?"

I sat on the bed and Marelle sat beside me so that our thighs touched.. When I wouldn't meet her eyes, she knelt in front of me. "You can tell me. I'm here to take care of you." When I didn't answer, she asked, "Is it because I'm a human?"

I couldn't stop a guffaw. "No, not at all. You're very beautiful and I wish it were that simple."

Marelle laid her head in my robed lap. "You can tell me."

I took a deep breath. "I guess it's about my parents. In my eyes, they always had the ideal relationship. They worked well together, they never argued about stupid things. In our line of work, my father knew some of the most beautiful and powerful women in Cyrodiil, but he only ever had eyes for my mother." I risked meeting her eyes, fighting the temptation that came from the connection "I've always wanted that in my own relationship, at least in the back of my mind. If I fool around… it will taint that dream. I'll never be able to say, she's the only one for me." I shook my head. "That probably sounds childish."

I felt a hand on my cheek and I was forced to look at Marelle, her eyes sparkling. "Not at all. That's so romantic." She stood, finally surrendering to my wishes. "I hope you find a girl worthy of you. She'll be very lucky to have you." She clasped her hands in front of her, now acting more like a house servant than a seductress. "Will there be anything else sera?"

I smiled and stood to see her out. "No, that will be all."

Marelle took her leave and I laid on the bed, once again feeling the lack of human contact. "I will make a life for myself one day," I promised. "I'll find love."


	44. Chapter 44 Ride of Sorrow

I sat in a foxhole just off the road along the south bank of lake Amaya and to the east of Pelagiad. A net, covered in foliage laid over the top of me. I waited for the sound of horse hooves. Considering the fact that only the Dren family owned horses in this area of the province, it was a sure indicator of our targets approach. Across the road, there were two other thieves guild members who were at least somewhat competent at combat. Naturally, the thieves guild didn't have a lot of combatants which put them at a disadvantage when it came to raiding a Cammona Tong caravan.

The first sound that preceded their coming wasn't horse hooves, however. It was the rattle of chains. It became louder and louder until I could hear it right next to me on the road. Behind that sound, I could hear the clop clop of horses.

A piercing whistle cut over the noise of the travelers and I flung the cover off the top of my hole. I raised my new crossbow, ignoring the rain that immediately drenched me and acquired the nearest target on horseback. The crossbow bucked against my shoulder, sending a quarrel to thunk heavily into a Dunmer's chest. He fell off his horse as did another rider who was watching from the rear of a column of slaves with their legs chained together in a single file line.

At the back of the convoy, a wagon pulled by two horses jolted ahead, it's driver whipping the reins, yelling, "Yah yah!" The two riderless horses in front of him pranced away nervously, but the line of panicked slaves pulled every which way, trying to escape the barreling wagon. One of the other ambushers heaved on a rope that was tied to a tree on my side of the road and wrapped around the trunk of a giant mushroom on the other. The rope tightened, picking up the slack and raising out of the mud where we'd hidden it. The horse team tripped on the rope and tumbled forward, their legs pulled out from under them.

The snapping of horse bones stood out in the cacophony of the crash. The crunching of the tumbling wagon soon followed as the driver was thrown from his perch and the rear two slaves were completely crushed. I left the crossbow aside, deciding against taking the time to reload it. I jumped out of the hole with a grunt and drew my now clean orcish sword, running up to the dazed driver.

The balding Dunmer rolled onto his back, holding an arm that was bent at an unnatural angle. He saw me coming and held up a hand to stop me. "No, no, no, don't... " I cut him off quite literally with a two handed chop, lodging the blade in his spine at the neck. I held his body down with a boot so I could yank the blade out. The other Thieves guild fighters emerged, both of them wearing hooded cloaks and a mask over their face. One was obviously an Argonian, as a mask didn't hide his voice and the other was human, I assumed a Nord by his stature and the double bladed axe he carried.

The slaves watched us hopefully, one of them looking at their crushed companions, so tired and beaten down that there were no tears to cry. I looked to the Argonian guildsman and spoke over the sound of the dying horses. "Am I done here?"

"So eager to be rid of your debt," he hissed. "Hmm, perhaps you will slay those two horses that are still on their feet so Dren's retainers cannot reclaim them. Then you may go."

I returned to retrieve my crossbow while the Argonian and the Nord worked to open the slaves locks. I slipped my boot through the stirrup of the crossbow, grabbed the heavy, waxed string, and heaved it until it locked into place. I took a quarrel from a small quiver that fit on my belt and slid it into the groove in front of the string.

Each horse had run to one side of the road until they felt safely away from the distressing scene. I leveled the crossbow at one of them, slowly walking into range. I got close enough that I was sure I could be accurate and put a bolt in the horse's skull. The animal fell over and began spasming in its death throes.

I turned to the other beast and hesitated. "I think I'm going to ride this one."

The Argonian shrugged. "It's on your shoulders if you are caught."

"Everything else is on my shoulders, adding a horse won't hurt anything," I muttered.

I shouldered the crossbow with a leather sling and slowly approached the beast, my soft soled boots quiet on the grass and soil. "Hey buddy. Any chance you want to come with me? I'm going to a wonderful place called Cyrodiil. There's lots of other horses there. If you'll let me ride you, I'll bring you along."

Of course, the horse didn't acknowledge my offer, but the calming tone I used kept it relaxed while I approached its side. It was a brown pinto mare with a cream colored mane and white spots down her neck and back. She was docile enough to allow me near. I stroked her neck fondly while she grazed and I noticed the Dren family crest embossed on a very expensive saddle.

"Why thank you Lord Orvas. I accept your fine gift." I mounted the horse in one smooth motion and with the reigns, I directed the animal west toward Seyda Neen. Instead of following the roads, I hugged the ocean coast to avoid being seen. Just as a precaution, I left my mask on until I reached the outskirts of Seyda Neen. I tied up the horse on the northwest outskirt in the marsh where the foliage would hide it.

The village was just as I remembered it. Small and soggy. The rain wasn't heavy, but it was constant. By the light of torches, I could see the few guards who doggedly patrolled the streets. I approached Arrille's tradehouse from the rear, avoiding the Imperials entirely. Being seen by any of the Emperor's servants at this point was not an option.

I crouched my way to the back porch of the tradehouse and pulled myself up and slinking to the door. I opened it carefully, watching for any guards or legionnaires. None occupied the first floor. I closed the door behind me and found Arrille taking stock of his shelves.

"Pardon Muthsera," I walked up to the counter and placed a ten septim gold piece on it. "Any Imperials upstairs?"

The Altmer took the piece. "They don't come in here unless they're shopping. Their commander makes them do their drinking at the Census office."

I nodded my thanks and headed upstairs to the bar. The Redguard woman tending it eyed me. "What's your name Dunmer?"

"Han lu, sera," I answered.

"Mmm hmm. Your friend wants to see you. Room three."

I gritted my teeth in worry, but stood and went straight to the inn area and knocked on door three. "Ajira, it's me. Are you okay?"

The door opened slowly to reveal my friend, one eye swollen shut. She pursed her lips, looking torn between fear and anger. "Han lu sad Ajira would be safe here. He said he would protect Ajira."

Eyes wide, I drew my sword and whirled into the room, shutting the door behind me. Once I was sure no one else was in the room, I let the sword clatter to the floor and took her face in my hands, examining the damage. "What happened? Did the mages guild find you?"

Ajira spat out a humorless laugh. "No, it was just some Nord brute. He picked the lock to Ajira's room and robbed Ajira. When this one tried to protect her money, he punched Ajira in the face."

Tears built up in my eyes. "Ajira, I'm so sorry."

She laid into me, shoving me with what little mass she had. "You said Ajira would be safe!" I let her hit me, pounding my chest. I didn't have the heart to stop her. "You lied and Ajira was so scared! Her money is gone. How will she pay the smugglers?"

I puller her in close to me, trapping her clenched fists between us. Both of us were crying. "I'm so sorry Ajira. I'm sorry." I said it again and again, unable to think of anything else. I rocked her back and forth and she cried into my shoulder.

"Don't worry about the money. The cost of the smuggler is covered in the deal I made. I won't leave you alone again. I promise, we're so close to getting home."

It was a long time before Ajira pulled away. I just held her. I wanted more than anything to be there for her and to make her feel better and if she wanted to stand with her face buried in my shoulder, I'd let her. Eventually, she pulled back.

"Take Ajira home Han lu." I nodded and threw my cloak around her. The Nord who'd robbed her had taken her trunk, so she only had her clothes and a small satchel of possessions.

We went straight to the marsh where I'd left the horse and mounted riding double. Night overcame us, but the clouds were so thick that it hardly got any darker. The rain was cold, but I didn't dare complain after what I'd put Ajira through. Clothes soaked, I kept an eye on the dark wilderness, never flinching. We rode through the night. The marsh creatures dared not approach something as big as two travelers on horseback.

I felt Ajira fall asleep against my back. She was snoozing peacefully when I found the ship. There was a rickety looking, makeshift dock on the beach of the marshes. As I approached, a Nord and an Argonian guard stopped me, one with a spear and the other with a hand axe.

"Halt, what's your business here?"

I reigned the horse in. "We're your passengers."

"What's with the horse," he asked with a raised eyebrow which was lost in the early morning darkness.

"Stolen. Do you have room for it?"

"That was not a part of the bargain," the Nord argued.

"How much?" I knew what these types were after.

"Two thousand, no less."

I laughed. "If you have the room, it's no skin off your teeth. One thousand or nothing."

"Deal." He finalized.

I nodded and dismounted, conscious of the fact that I was waking Ajira.

"What's happening," she yawned?

"We're here," I said. Rather than making her walk, I took her in my arms and carried her. I looked to the Nord. "You'll handle my cargo, won't you?"

The Nord huffed and looked to the Argonian. "Get it loaded, will you Blue."

"Aye Captain."

I left them and boarded across the gangplank. It being a smuggler ship, there were only enough quarters for the crew, in order to have extra room for cargo. So I sat out of the way, against a rail and held the again sleeping Khajiit close to me. I felt lower than low that I'd brought harm to her. I squeezed her tight as if somehow I could make up for leaving her in such a position.

I watched as the Argonian, Blue, struggled to get the horse to board. To my surprise, he never lost patience, but rather, offered soft voiced encouragement. Once on the deck, they laid a plank over the stairs into the hold and gently led it down where I was sure it was well secured.

I slowly nodded off myself, the long cold night having taken its toll. I wasn't cold. I was snuggled up with a warm cat. The gentle rocking and the sounds of the ship combined to put my mind at ease. I was going home.


	45. Chapter 45 Course Correction

I woke when Ajira woke. She got up and walked to the front rail to watch the horizon. The ship was under way. The sky was still dark. A half dozen crew members loitered, having little to do with the favorable wind filling the sails.

The Argonian from earlier leaned against the rail further towards the bow. He was carving something with a small knife. The block of wood was not far enough along to tell what it was he was carving. He noticed Ajira at the bow. "Where are you headed once we make landfall," he asked casually. Ajira ignored him. He continued talking, oblivious of her desire to be left alone. "That's a nice horse you rode in on. I'd love to hear how you acquired it."

"Leave her be," I warned. "She's had a rough day."

The Argonian turned to me. "Well I've got to have somebody to talk to. What's your story stranger?"

I shook my head. "You wouldn't believe me." A mirthless chuckle escaped me. "You wouldn't even believe the half of it."

Blue pursed his reptilian lips. "I don't have to believe it. I'm just looking to pass the time."

"How about this," I compromised. "I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours."

He shrugged. "Fair enough." He turned to face me. His scales were different shades of green with a bright, almost iridescent streak running along each cheek and down his throat. He wore simple leather armor that covered his chest, but left his sides exposed. I deduced that the reason they called him Blue was because of the dark blue feathery plumage that grew on top of his head. I'd know a few Argonians that had feathers, although the majority just had rounded or pointed horns.

"I was hatched in Blackmarsh, although I remember nothing about it. My family was captured by a band of Argonian slavers and sold to Dunmer sailors. They shipped us to Vvardenfell to be sold when I was still very young. My parents were separated, but I grew up with my mother. When I was 9, my mother was bought and taken away. I never found out where. From then on, I was just another slave. Luckily, I was able to find something I was especially good at. My master imported horses from Cyrodiil and I developed a penchant for their care."

I scrunched my eyebrows. "Were you owned by the Drens?"

He nodded. "Your horses name is Traveler by the way. Appropriate considering the circumstances. I helped her mother give birth to her."

"Small world," I muttered.

"No kidding. Mother always said things happen for a reason. Growing up, I never quite believed her, but the more I see…"

He was interrupted by the Captain. "Blue, get up the rigging and adjust the sail. I don't want us blowing too far north."

"Aye Captain," he barked, putting his carving away. He cast me a last glance, saying, "I'll be back to hear your tale." He scurried up the ropes, leaving me with Ajira.

I stood and approached her from behind. "How are you holding up?" She took a deep breath, not answering. I moved to wrap my arms around her again, but she pulled away and said, "Don't."

I stopped and fell back, not wanting to offend her. "Ajira, you have my word, I won't let anything like that happen to you again. I'll keep you safe."

"Ajira believes that Han lu believes he speaks the truth." She paused, leaving me to wait on her conclusion. "But Han lu does not think this through." She turned to look at me with the eye that wasn't swollen. "Ajira believes that Han lu will always find trouble wherever he goes. Especially if he goes back to Cyrodiil after the things he has done."

I met her gaze, shamefaced, unable to argue. "Ajira, I'll do whatever it takes. Just tell me what you want me to do and I'll do it."

Ajira fought against tears. "Ajira thinks she will be safest if Han lu leaves her alone. Once we make landfall, Han lu should go his separate way and let Ajira make her own way home."

An arrow pierced my heart as my only friend announced her decision to cut ties with me. My next breath came in a shudder, the sorrow overwhelming me. "Ajira, I know I've made bad decisions in the past, but…" I had to swallow past a lump in my throat. My eyes welled up with tears and I could barely manage to squeak, "Please don't leave me."

With that, the truth was evident to us both. I needed her more than she needed me. We both knew it and I shook, knowing that our friendship was a bad deal for her.

"Han lu is a good friend, but Ajira cannot live in your world where she is always running and hiding from someone who is after her. Ajira makes potions. Han lu kills people. Ajira can't be with you without getting hurt and Han lu can't be with Ajira without bringing danger even if he stops his work, the Empire will always be after Han lu."

The floodgates of my emotions broke. I sobbed openly, driven to my knees. "No, please. Don't…" I babbled. I had no right to ask anything of her. She was right. I would always be dodging the Blades and if she was with me, she'd get caught up in the danger. I considered offering to circumnavigate Cyrodiil. To travel at the far reaches of the Empire where we could avoid trouble, but she wanted to find her family and I had to find mine. No matter what, I was destined for danger. The only thing I could do was cry, because I knew there was nothing I could do to salvage my friendship with the scholarly Khajiit.

Ajira offered no condolences. She walked around me to wait out the journey at the stern of the ship. I sunk against the rail on the bow and curled up in my misery. The sun slowly crept over the horizon and the ocean illuminated.

The creaking of the boat and the sound of waves were interrupted by a shout from the rigging up above. "Captain, there's a ship to the aft. She's flying the Imperial Dragon." Everyone on board rushed to the aft rail to see. Everyone but me. I just buried my head between my knees. Somehow, they'd found me. I just knew they were after me. I broke everything I touched.

"How in Oblivion did they find us," the Captain roared. His eyes naturally fell to me and Ajira. "You two! The guild assured me you two were clean, that no one was after you." He took a spear from a barrel near the cabin. "I should have known better than to take that contract."

Ajira backed away from the Captain and a few members of the crew. She ran back to hide behind me. With a deep breath, I stood and drew my sword to face them. I put on a war face and met the Captain's eyes. I let the hurt I felt turn to an unfeeling resolve and when I spoke, I sounded like a soldier. "Two choices Captain. The Imperial navy has orders to destroy any vessel trying to escape the quarantine. So you can either kill us and face them yourself, or let us make a stand with you. We're probably all dead either way, so it makes no difference to me whether I spill your blood in my last stand or the Legionaries."

The Captain sputtered with rage, looking from me to his men. My logic penetrated the Nord's natural hot blooded response. "Fine! Once they get in range, you're standing in front Dunmer. We can't outrun them, so it's only a matter of time before they catch us. Everyone get armed and get to your positions."

"We should drop the cargo overboard. We'll be faster without it," I suggested.

The Captain pointed at me with his spear. "I don't want to hear another peep out of you. I'm in command of my vessel!"

"They'll try to ram us you idiot! If they can punch a hole in our side, they won't have to risk their soldiers in a face to face battle. Our best chance is to move out of their way once they try to hit us. Then they'll pull alongside us and board. That's when we fight them, right as their men try to cross to our ship. Our weapons won't mean a thing if we can't make that maneuver."

The Captain growled in anger, but conceded. "Dump the cargo," he ordered, deflating!

The next two hours moved at a painstaking pace. We turned from our destination and sailed with the wind directly on our beam. Ajira and I helped dump the cargo. We even pulled the horse out and whipped at his flanks until he jumped off into the ocean. It was degrading, having to listen to it's terrified whinnies while it struggled to stay afloat. The sounds shrank into the distance and the thrashing figure suddenly disappeared under the water, not resurfacing. Blue watched, seeming to take the horses death personally.

Then, we waited. It felt like an eternity. The crew stayed at their positions, making minor adjustments to the sails to maximize our speed, but the faster navy galley behind us slowly overtook us.

Once she drew near, I hollered at the Captain. "I'm going to the crow's nest to see what I can do with my crossbow. They'll start shooting at us soon too, so kept an eye out."

With the weapon slung over my shoulder, I mounted the rigging and climbed. The swaying ship and the loose netting made for a difficult climb. I arrived at the top sweating and panting, but loaded the crossbow immediately.

I pointed the weapon toward the chasing ship and waited, gauging the effective distance. I saw a number of Legionnaires in their proud, shining steel armor with their own crossbows. My first shot went high, thudding into the deck behind my targets. I reloaded as our ship started taking fire, forcing the smuggler crew to duck behind assorted shields and pieces of cover. Ajira hid behind the cabin where she was out of firing range. I hadn't looked her in the eye since the whole thing began.

My second bolt struck one of the archers, punching through his chainmail. He fell and others pulled him back out of the fight. At a quick count, I estimated thirty or forty men onboard their vessel. Compared to the eleven on ours, I knew we had no chance.

I emptied my quiver, having only been provided a handful of bolts with the crossbow. If I'd been thinking ahead, I would have bought more from Arrille, but it was too late for that now. Shouldering the weapon, I mounted the rigging again and started to descend. I flinched as an arrow sailed past me, then doubled the speed of my descent. I was close to the bottom of the rigging when an arrow pierced my back. My whole body clenched and my fingers lost their grip. I stared dumbly as I tumbled down the rigging and off the edge of the boat. With a shock, I plunged into the salty water and clawed my way painfully to the surface.

The sailors didn't make any effort to retrieve me. I struggled past the pain in my back and fought to stay atop the small swells. All I could do was watch as the Imperial ship closed on me and passed me altogether, either oblivious or apathetic toward me.

The war ship pursued a little further before the smugglers used my tactic and tried to turn out of the way so the war ship would sail past them with its ramming momentum. They weren't fast enough. The merchant vessel turned to the left, but still caught the Imperial's battering ram in the stern, opening a hole in the hull and tearing the rudder off into the ocean. The smugglers prepared for an attack that never came. The Imperials let their ship slide passed the crippled smuggling vessel and waited for it to sink.

I was beginning to feel very tired. I noticed the water around me was turning red. I forced myself to concentrate and sealed the wound over with the arrow still inside me. This stopped the bleeding, but I couldn't get my blood back and I was getting cold. My eyes fluttered involuntarily. Maybe I could just let sleep take me. I'd botched everything in my life so badly, perhaps that was my best option.

A scene unfolded before my fading consciousness. A lone figure knocking on a familiar door in Balmora. Caius Cosades answered and ushered the hooded figure into his home. The hood was thrown back to reveal a Redguard, the woman from the taproom in Arrille's tradehouse. The spymaster curtly ordered, "Report Elone."

The woman took a handwritten note and read it off word for word. "I saw your special agent in Seyda Neen with a female Khajiit matching the description of the expelled Balmora mages guild member. I sent a scout to follow them. He was led to a smuggling ship in the uninhabited area of Azura's coast and reported back to me."

Caius clasped his hands behind his back and turned away, hiding the anger in his expression. "Understood. Thank you for your report Elone."

"What will we do about this sir?"

Caius shook his head. "There's only one thing to do. If Han lu cannot be controlled, then he is a liability. We'll inform the Navy of the smugglers and make sure an end is put to it." He turned to the woman. "Inform Sellus Gravius in Seyda Neen and rejoin me in Hia Oad. We'll coordinate these efforts personally. Han lu is one of our own after all. We bear responsibility for whatever he does."

"Yes sir." Elone, despite being dressed in a commoners travel cloak, saluted as though she were a Legionnaire in full attire. You can take the soldier out of the Legion, but you can't take the Legion out of the soldier.

The waves tossed me like a rag doll and I surfaced again, sputtering, lungs burning. On the watery horizon, the smugglers ship was burning too.

"Ajira!" I started stroking my way through the water towards the two ships as I saw the crew leaping from the lost vessel. The arrowhead in my back stung and tore. Even at the surface, I could hardly draw a breath from the pain. I mercifully blacked out again to find myself surrounded by fire. A golden masked figure stared through the flames at me.

"Fate will drive you to me. Succumb. Make your way to Red Mountain. Together, we'll drive out the mongrel dogs of the Empire and restore order and the law of the land."

I couldn't breath. My vision faded. I couldn't tell if my friend was alive or dead. I wished to whatever entity was listening to just destroy me and end my torment. Even consignment to Oblivion had to be better than this.

As my soul cried out, I felt comforting arms wrap around me. I focused on the contact, latching onto the one connection I had to realty. I was pulled to the surface where, despite it being midday, the two moons of Tamriel seemed to stand out in stark detail. A familiar comforting voice drove out all the other visions, filling my mind like echoes in a stone hall.

"You have a hard fate my servant, but a harder life faces you should you deny your duty. Sleep now and when you awake, take up your standard and shirk not. You are equal to the tasks ahead and I will provide you the companionship you desire." I had heard that voice once before. It was so peaceful, but more powerful than the voice from the golden mask. With the assurances and comfort of this being, I rested, trusting my fate to this unknown guardian.


	46. Chapter 46 Rock Bottom

_Author's note. Dear readers, you've reached a point in my story when I found that I could no longer adequately tell the story purely from Han lu's point of view. From this chapter on, I begin each chapter with a heading naming the person from whose perspective the story is being told. This has allowed the addition of many new and interesting characters. Thank you for your continued support and I hope you enjoy._

 **Blue the Argonian**

I hauled the limp Dark elf up the muddy beach on the coast of Vvardenfell. The nearest I could figure, I was somewhere north of Hia Oad. The ship had been headed west to mainland Morrowind and had tacked north a bit in its attempt to escape the Imperial galley. Once I'd jumped into the water, I'd relied on my Argonian's innate sense of direction to head east.

I stayed under the water once the ship caught fire. Using my gills allowed me to hide until the Imperial ship left the area. I tried to save some of the crew in the water, but the galley stowed it's sails and circled the merchant ship by oar power while archers searched the water for survivors. None of the other crewmen were Argonians so they had to remain at the surface and were all eventually spotted by the death squad and shot. By luck and my body's natural affinity for underwater navigation, I'd found the overboard Dark elf passenger on my way back to the coast.

The swim took me hours. Carrying the unconscious Dark elf delayed me further, creating more drag and forcing me to keep his head above water. Now that I'd gotten us to the muddy edge of the sea, I collapsed in exhaustion against the nearest tree and relaxed, flexing my gills and purging the sea water from my throat until they dried out. Once they were clear, my gills laid flat on my neck until they were barely visible as slits in my hide. My iridescent green scales meshing to leave my neck looking like the rest of my "skin."

Still panting from my efforts, I glanced at the Dark elf sprawled in the mud. The warmblood was shivering, as non Argonians would do when they got cold, I realized. With a lizard-like groan, I pushed myself to my feet and searched the area for firewood. It wasn't hard to see as both moons shone unusually bright tonight and I was able to find a number of deadwood logs. Using my one handed axe, I split the wood into kindling and tinder, carefully building a teepee of increasingly larger sticks. Once the structure stood, I held my hands over the pile. One of the other crewmen, a Breton had started teaching me magic the last couple weeks. He'd told me I was a slow learner, but with long voyages to practice, I'd eventually managed a couple rudimentary spells.

I willed the flow of magic from my body, out through my hands and imagined heat building up in the smallest of the slivers of wood I'd shaved. The teepee seemed determined to resist my efforts, at first just giving off black smoke to taunt me. I took this as a personal offense and persisted and eventually an ember appeared and grew into a flame. I couldn't help but smile at my success, small as it may be. Soon, I had a formidable campfire and I dragged the Dunmer close to it to dry and warm him.

With that taken care of, I found my tree again and leaned my head back to rest, letting exhaustion overcome me.

"Ajira!" I jolted awake at the noise of someone yelling. The Dark elf was crawling on hands and knees back toward the ocean. I leaped to my feet to stop him as a parent might stop their child from touching a hot stove. Before the elf could crawl back to the ocean, I grabbed him from behind, picking him up around the torso and put him back in front of the fire.

"You need to stay warm, warmblood. The damp will be your death."

The Dunmer struggled weakly. "I have to save Ajira. I p... I promised her."

I shook my head and added wood to the fire. "There is nothing to be done. The Imperials killed everyone in the water."

The Dunmer met my eyes. "Did you see her?"

I thought back to the last panicked moments of the crewmen who had been shot in the water and scowled. "No. No I don't think she ever made it off the ship. I didn't find her in the water."

The Dunmer tried to stand and collapsed again. "I have to look. She's a mage. She could have guarded herself against the fire. She could still be out there."

I rubbed my temples. "You'd never make it. The ship was closer to the mainland than Vvardenfell. I'd have headed the other way, but I have business on the island. It's lucky for you I did, or else I wouldn't have found you."

The Dark elf looked at me, pleading in his eyes. "Please, go look for her. I'll give anything I have, do anything you want. I need her to be safe."

The Dunmer's eyes glistened with tears. I tried to avoid his gaze, but he looked so helpless, even pitiful. I groaned, knowing I could make the swim back to the wreck, if there was still a wreck to find, but to carry a second person back? "I don't know if I can Dunmer."

The elf crawled forward on his knees. "Name your price. Anything. My life is yours if you'll do this for me."

I took a deep breath and shrugged. "Well how can I say no to that?" With a groan at my aching muscles, I hauled myself to my feet and strode back into the water. I searched for hours. My sense of direction didn't fail me. I found the point of the battle and with a deep dive, I was able to find the charred remains of the Northern Pride on the ocean floor. There was, however, no sign of a Khajiit anywhere. I took the time to search the Captain's cabin and the ship's hold. There were a number of treasures ripe for the taking. I decided to appropriate the Captains personal stash from a chest in his cabin which included a fair bit of gold and assorted gems. I stored this loot in a crate from the hold. First I had to empty out the original contents, some weird looking clay statues. The crate sat forcefully against the roof of the hold, trying to float. It took some work to drag it along the ceiling to the cargo door, but once it was free, it shot straight to the surface.

I myself, took my time resurfacing as my mother had taught me. 'Surfacing too quickly will cause a sickness in your blood,' she had said.

After deciding there was no sign of the Khajiit, I kicked my way back to the atmosphere with a length of rope from the rigging and tied it around my waist so I could drag my treasure crate behind me and finally headed back to Vvardenfell.

It was mid morning when I found the makeshift camp again. I pulled my crate far enough up the muddy beach so that the tide couldn't snatch it away and stumbled into the camp. The fire was burned out and there was no Dark elf to be seen. I wrinkled my brow and searched the immediate area, finding nothing.

"Don't tell me I just got played," I complained. "I should have expected as much from a cursed Dunmer. Guess I'll take my cargo and go."

I stomped away from the marshes, back to my crate. Something dropped from one of the trees above right behind me and threw a bag over my head. I spun wildly, swiping at the figure with my short claws, but the mystery opponent blocked my blow and punched me in the gut.

I doubled over on one knee and was pushed to the ground where people I couldn't see bound my wrists with rope. The silent figure hauled me to my feet. "Move prisoner!"


	47. Chapter 47 The Ever Vigilant Blades

**Caius Cosades**

I sat at a desk in the census and Excise warehouse in Seyda Neen, ignoring the pathetic figure shackled to the bars in the holding cell before me.

"Kill me," Han lu begged. I winced, but didn't look up. If there is a scenario where I can still manage to salvage Han lu's loyalty, I know it won't be easy to arrange. I'd pushed the young man too far. It was the Blades job to turn people against their own causes, their people, and even their own self interest. Make no mistake, I'm one of the best, but there are limits. I just don't have anything Han lu wants. How can you blackmail a professional blackmailer? Every avenue had been explored. The only family he knows are dead or in hiding. I sent agents to find the families of Han lu's parents here on the island and they had been found, but Han lu has no personal connection to his grandparents and their families.

On the desk in front of me was a detailed list of Han lu's movements. Since he'd come here, the only person I know that Han lu has been close to was the Khajiit from the mages guild, but she had not been recovered from the shipwreck. That detail alone would make Han lu blame the Empire for his only friends death making cooperation less likely.

After Han lu had left the House of Earthly Delights, I had an agent thoroughly interrogate the courtesan Marelle about his time there. I pinched the bridge of my nose in place of screaming in frustration. Han lu couldn't even be tempted by worldly addiction. Even after a deadly dose of the highly addictive skooma, Han lu had never, to the best of my knowledge, taken another dose. Being a user myself, I found this impossible. I could feel the shakes coming on as I craved a hit, yet this young Dunmer had never once given in to temptation.

Giving in to my anger, I stood up angrily and took a vial of the sticky concoction from my own pocket, uncorked it, and waved it in front of Han lu's nose. He actually recoiled.

"Get that stuff out of my face," he shouted angrily! I pocketed the vial, and glared daggers at the boy. Han lu glared back. "Why are you keeping me alive? For the second time, I've been imprisoned for a crime with a blanket death sentence. What do I have to do to prove that I'm an enemy to the Empire?" He paused, trying to find any logic. "What in Tamriel makes me so important?"

I almost shouted back, letting loose my temper. Instead, I took a deep breath, walked deliberately to my desk, and sat down. "You're not important Han lu."

Han lu scoffed. "I don't believe you. I keep hearing voices. Seeing visions in weak moments. You aren't the only one clamoring for my attention. Caius, what's the big picture here? Any beggar on the street could have been sent to do the jobs you've sent me to do. You have other agents. Why put so much effort into me?"

I ignored him, still sifting through his thoughts. Han lu lowered his voice. "Hasphat told me I wasn't the first."

This caught my attention. "Did he now?" There was a pause while I gave Han lu a stressed insincere grin. "Well, now that that rabbit is out of the hat."

I searched through my papers, deciding it was time to let him in on some details. "This is the first correspondence I received from the Emperor on the subjects I've had you researching, two years ago." He cleared his throat and read from the sheaf. "His Majesty would like you to look into a legend that has recently come to his attention. Some Dunmer believe that an orphan and outcast, a youth born on a certain day to uncertain parents, will one day unite all the tribes of the Dunmer, drive out the invaders of Morrowind, and re-establish the ancient laws and customs of the Dark elf nations. They call this orphan and outcast Nerevarine, and say he will be a reincarnation of the long dead Dunmer General and first councilor, Lord Indoril Nerevar."

I dropped the letter to the table. "Yes, I've been investigating these legends long before you were sent to me. I've even had other agents sent to me and fall short of their mission." I again walked in front of Han lu. "If it isn't obvious what your role in this is, then you haven't been paying attention. Think boy! What could it possibly be?"

Han lu blinked several times. "You can't think… that I'm the Nerevarine."

I took another letter from the pile. "This is from the encoded package that you first brought to me. 'Han lu has the appearance of meeting the conditions of this local superstition. Therefore, it is His Majesty's desire that Han lu shall, insofar as is possible, satisfy the conditions of this ancient prophecy, and shall become the Nerevarine. Though the prophecy is indeed only an ancient local superstition, his Majesty has taken council on this matter with his most expert informants and confidants, and he is persuaded that the prophecy is genuine and significant, either in its entirety, or in its several parts, and he earnestly demands you treat this matter with the utmost seriousness.' It goes on, but you get the point."

I backed up and sat on top of my desk, leaning forward to look Han lu in the eyes.. "Of course I was skeptical at first, especially of you. It felt like the Emperor had given me a wild boar and told me to train it for a horse show. You are without a doubt, the most reckless and dangerous agent ever assigned to me. Yet, be it far from me to question the Emperor. So I did as I was told and started you on a path of prophecy to fulfill the role of this ancient hero. A hero who, if successful, would become very powerful in the provinces politics. A hero who hates the Empire with every fiber of his being. A hero with no morals or honor. I can't understand how this plan could possibly benefit the Empire, or at least, I couldn't then."

"I won't," Han lu promised. "I'll resist you every step of the way, just as I've been doing."

"You idiot!" I snapped in what I now realize to have been a wholly unprofessional manner. "This isn't about the Empire. I see that now. By betting on you fulfilling this prophecy, the Emperor is addressing something larger than the welfare of Morrowind. You brought me the puzzle pieces that make it all make sense. The rise in influence of this Dagoth Ur. The rumors of the Tribunal's failing power. The sleepers. I know the Emperor sees more than an average man. He must have seen a threat. Something so powerful and destructive that he's willing to put you in a position of leadership in an already rebellious province. These gods of the Dunmer have held each other in check for a thousand years or more and the stalemate is slipping. These ancient powers have never been considered a threat because they've always been pitted against one another. When the status quo changes, these beings will turn on others. I believe the Emperor thinks to stop that from happening, but in order for it to work, I need you to see the Empire through my eyes. Not as the entity that killed your father. Not as the puppet masters who control you, but as the defenders of peace, order, and prosperity for all peoples. I can't have that though. You only seem to care about your own self interest. So let me give you one more chance. One chance to do the right thing and be something more than the scum of the earth your father was."

I was furious now, ranting freely. "Will you give up your pathetic, selfish, childish quest to go back to mommy and instead take on a position of honor and selflessness, or should I just kill you and hope a better actor comes along to pretend to be this long dead hero before Dagoth Ur is released upon us all?"

There were so many things Han lu wanted to say, but he knew the only things worth saying were the topics at hand. He stared me down with a gaze both fiery and ice cold while he decided how to reply. He spoke in a low, even tone, belying his self assurance and hatred. "I have no family... and no friends. The people I get close to end up dead or leaving me and that will only get worse if I pretend to be a resurrected Saint, ostracized by the authorities of the land. In fact, the only thing I do have to live for is my hate of the Empire, even as I realize, my family were not the most moral of people. So if I took up your worldview as you wish and forgave the Empire, I could look forward to a future of personal suffering for honor with no significant relationships under the fear of bringing death on anyone I cared about." Han lu met my gaze without any sign of remorse or penitence. "I don't see how you could possibly trust me. I don't see anything there worth living for. Honestly, this whole world can burn in Oblivion for all I care. You go to Red Mountain and face whatever monsters lay there. You're right, I can't be controlled, so I'll inevitably turn on you at the soonest possibility." His red eyes seemed to pierce my soul. "You'll just have to kill me."

I looked away dismissively. "Well then, I just have to find something worth you living for." I gathered my papers and left Han lu chained painfully to the wall. In the next room, with the door closed behind me, I looked out on an Imperial warehouse with eight people loitering, seven of whom were my agents. I first turned my attention to a kneeling Argonian, bound and bagged. A short, well muscled Bosmer woman stood behind him with a short sword ready to strike.

"Who is this Gildan," I asked the Wood elf?

"I found him at the camp where we captured Han lu. He was pulling a crate out of the ocean."

"Ah, and what was in this crate, pray tell?"

"A lot of gold and gemstones." Gildan took a strange looking red clay statue from a crate beside her, holding it out to me. "And this."

I cautiously took the curious thing. "It doesn't look like anything I've seen before," I admitted. I crouched in front of the prisoner and lifted the sack off his head. "What's your name friend?"

Blue blinked several times. He'd fallen asleep in the bag. "Huh?" He asked gracelessly.

"Your name?"

"I am Blue."

I grunted. "What's your profession Blue?"

The Argonian cracked a smile. "I'm recently unemployed. If you want my resume, I spent nineteen years as a slave, mostly in animal husbandry and several months as fisherman, mercenary, you name it. I don't suppose you're hiring, whoever you are."

The assembled Blades agents chuckled at the prisoners candor, myself included. I couldn't help but like this lizard. "Well, I'll keep you in mind. First though, I need to know your relationship with Han lu Urshar."

"Who?"

Gildan smacked him over the back of his head with the flat of her blade. "The Dark elf who's camp we found you at!"

"I hardly know him," Blue claimed.

"Did you meet him on the smuggling ship?" I pressed. "And don't lie. Telling the truth won't make this any worse than it already is."

The Argonian groaned. "Yes yes, he was a passenger. I was in the crew. We were the only survivors."

"How did you survive," asked a burly Nord named Sjorvar?

Blue turned to look at him. "I swim better than others. The Legionnaires shot everyone else. Han lu fell off the ship near the start of the fight and the warship passed him by. I dragged him to the coast."

Rithleen, a Redguard woman in bonemold armor and long dreadlocks chimed in. "Why? What's he to you?"

Blue muttered, "The Dunmer paid a fine price to get aboard the ship. He rode a horse. A fine horse. That's a rare thing here on Vvardenfell. I figured this Han Lu might be a good person to owe me a favor. It's a tough economy, especially for an Argonian." His levity again earned a few chuckles.

I held up the short statue. "What can you tell us about this?"

Blue looked at it in surprise. "I thought I'd emptied those out. I don't know what they are, only that my Captain made big money on them. We delivered them to lots of ports, especially to the mainland." Blue hesitated for a moment. "It may sound silly, but I don't like those things. If I tried to sleep while we had any of those on board, I... heard things." I raised a brow, waiting for a further explanation. "I heard whispers," Blue continued, "never loud enough to be discernible. Just enough to keep you from falling asleep."

I turned to my agents, none of whom had anything to comment. "Well Blue, you've just admitted to some pretty serious crimes," I mentioned lightheartedly. "What are we to do with you?"

Blue gave a winning smile. "You'll be happy to know, I've decided to turn my life around. No worries, I'm scared straight. Only honest labor from now on. Scaleback's honor."

I stood, stretching my stiff legs. "Well, I don't know about all that, but I may have a job for you."

Blue's eyes widened. "Truly?"

I couldn't help but chuckle. "It's not glorious and there's no direct pay, but it could end up quite rewarding. Besides, our other option is to kill you now."

Blue nodded emphatically. "Yes yes, I'll take the job."

"Good choice," laughed another Argonian from across the room.

I helped Blue to his feet, leaving his hands bound behind his back. "For the time being, you will act like a prisoner, which will be easy, because you'll be locked up. The real challenge will be making friends with your cellmate. You seem a personable sort. Gain Han lu's trust. One way or another, he'll get out of here eventually and when he does, you better have found an excuse to stick together. You give him a reason to keep you around. If he asks, we only questioned you about the smuggling operation. Mention that we asked you about the statues and tell him what you told us. The fact that you may have intelligence for us should act as some explanation for why we didn't execute you for your crimes."

Blue didn't seem to understand all of what was being said, but he nodded at appropriate intervals to assure us all that he was unquestionably on board. When I finished, Blue dared to venture just one question. "Who are you people?"

The agents around him shared knowing grins before waiting for me to answer.

I leaned forward, close to Blue's face. "Nations have armies to guard from other nations. Cities have guards to protect against criminals and bandits. We are the ones who protect Tamriel from dragons, Daedra, and the secret magics that nobody knew were a threat to begin with."

Blue chuckled nervously. "Surely you jest with me. Even hatchlings know there are no such things as dragons."

"You're welcome," I said, stone faced. The Blades all chuckled again as Gildan led Blue to his cell. I waited for her to return to address my agents. When she rejoined us, I hopped backwards to sit on a crate. "It's not often we're all together, so I feel you should all be brought up to speed."

The rag tag team of individuals all scooted in closer to hear me. "Unlike the last two candidates, Han lu has survived all his missions thus far. The problem is that he's uncooperative. He's been trying to play us this whole time. The trust we had, which was shaky as it was, is now gone. We cannot count on him to fill the role as he is."

"So we find another candidate," Elone suggested. The Redguard woman had forsaken her bartender attire for a light Imperial mail shirt and she had a mace at her belt. "I suggest we expand past Dark Elves. The prophecy doesn't specifically mention that the Nerevarine would be reincarnated as a Dunmer. Besides, Han lu doesn't even fit the prophecy. He grew up with his parents and one of them may still be alive. His parentage is supposed to be uncertain."

Tyermailin, a tall golden skinned Altmer interjected. "As it would happen, that may not be so."

I motioned at the healer. "Tyermailin has been looking into Han lu's mother's family for me. Would you report your findings please?"

The Altmer bowed gracefully. "Of course. Virisa Urshar's family is surprisingly well connected in House Telvanni. They are known for their isolationist policies so naturally, they are difficult to get accurate information on. Fortunately, they are from Tel Vos, one of the more progressive Telvanni strongholds. They may not involve outsiders in their inner politics, but unlike other Telvanni Nobles, Master Aryon employs some non Dunmer in his palace and I've been able to make informants of a couple of lower ranking members. Rumor has it, Virisa met Adairan when the young man left home and traveled to Tel Vos. He courted her against her parents wishes and they married. Virisa was disowned and the couple traveled Vvardenfell, but would return to visit friends. After being away for no more than two months, one of their friends said they returned to visit with a newborn infant. They claimed it was theirs, but there were rumors to the contrary. Nobody can remember her ever becoming pregnant."

Sjorvar lost his patience. "Well I'm glad to hear you've been successful in collecting wives tales elf, but it still leaves the problem of Han lu not being a viable candidate out of unwillingness. No matter his heritage, he's out of the running, so we need to concentrate our efforts on finding another candidate."

This opinion split the group in two, resulting in a war of murmurs. I cut them off, holding my hands up to call for silence. The room fell quiet and I took a moment to think before addressing them. "This feels, different." I paused again, drawing confused looks from the agents. "Please understand, I truly value each of your opinions. However, I'm afraid we may not have time to find another candidate. Besides, I'm not sure we should be looking for a 'candidate' in the first place."

The agents looked to each other for confirmation, unwilling to speak out of turn. Finally, the Argonian, Nine Toes, stepped forward. "Spymaster, this has been our goal since you received this mission. What makes it different now?"

"Han lu has been having visions. The other candidates never had that. It feels like tensions are mounting, especially in the Temple. There have also been rumors that the ghostfence has been faltering." I ignored the worried looks and continued. "We started this with the intention of finding a candidate that could mimic the requirements of the prophecy, but…" I pressed my hand to my temple. "I don't know how else to say it, but... I believe Han lu is the Nerevarine. The Emperor saw something in him." I met the gazes of my agents. "We need to devote all resources to Han lu. Whatever it takes to make him care about this mission."

"And what happens if he fulfills the prophecy," Tyermailin interjected, breaking the stunned silence? "You realize we are the invaders whom the Nerevarine is prophesied to drive out, right? A united Dunmer race could be a powerful force to be reckoned with and a threat to Imperial interests on many many fronts."

I rose to my full height, adding a note of finality to my voice. "You mirror my own thoughts Tyermailin, but I've made my decision. I will trust the Emperor's judgement. He surely sees everything we see and more. I took an oath to defend the dragon bloodline with my dying breath and if he believes giving great power to his mortal enemy is the best decision, I will honor it." I clenched a fist and pounded it to my chest in a Legion salute.

My agents just stared for a moment. Sjorvar was the first to reciprocate. "I've always been a simple man and this isn't the first time your plans have sounded mad to me. You're crafty Caius. We'll make this work. Somehow," he added in an undertone.

Rithleen sighed. "Caution to the wind. So be it."

One by one, the Blades each pledged their support, some more enthusiastically than others. Their oaths made my chest swell with pride and brotherhood, making me feel like I had to leave them some parting words. "We are the Blades. Despite constant vigilance, it is the nature of our work that we are always racing the hourglass. With Talos as my witness, I swear I'll not fail and I'll do my best to be deserving of such fine agents."


	48. Chapter 48 More Than Pawns

**Safia Dren**

I sat at a simple wooden desk with a quill and bottle of ink in the Temple in Balmora. A copy of the Pilgrim's Path laid in front of me next to fresh sheaves of paper. I enjoyed copying the writings word for word, page for page. The writing was not fancy. Not like some of the nicer copies of Vivec's Sermons. This was a pilgrim's book. It was to be affordable and readily available. Calligraphy served no part of that purpose.

I copied the scripture among six other laymen, all of us supervised by an aging priest who took turns watching the work over our shoulders. When I detected a presence behind me, I assumed it was the priest until I realized he was on the other side of the room and the presence behind me remained. I stifled a small jolt of anxiety and broke from my concentration, glancing back to see my father standing in the back of the room, just watching. My heart skipped a beat and my skin crawled until I assured myself that I hadn't been caught doing anything but what I'd told him I was doing. A drop of ink fell from my quill and splashed on the paper I'd been writing. I released a gasp of frustration, a number of words now covered by a large splotch.

The priest turned to me, noticing the noise, and spoke reassuringly. "Do not distress. It is bound to happen from time to time. Still, do be careful. Wasted materials delay the good work."

I bowed my head politely. "I understand and apologize Muthsera. Please excuse me a moment. I have a visitor."

I carefully set the quill in the inkwell and stood, making as little noise as possible to avoid distracting the other writers. Orvas lifted the curtained doorway and stepped back into the shrine room. I slowly followed, my soft cloth shoes scuffing quietly on the stone floor. My mind was running away with frightening thoughts. There were any number of reasons for him to come and see me and none would bode well for me. I was inarguably at my happiest when father was too occupied with his work to pay me any mind and that was quite often.

Once outside the workroom, father strode around the shrine room that bore obelisks to the saints. I hurried to join him, eager to avoid his displeasure. Orvas pretended not to notice me at his side and I knew better than to speak out of turn. He would speak when he felt the moment was right which usually meant a small wait period to let the other party feel uncomfortable. The light of candles cast their shadows in the recesses of the walls. From deeper within, a blind priest vocalized a hymn of praise to Almalexia.

Orvas came to a standstill, staring at one of the stone obelisks. "How are you fairing daughter?"

His voice was soft and full of concern. I debated whether the emotion was genuine and shuddered slightly, unable to keep my unease out of my voice. "As well as is to be expected father."

Orvas slowly nodded. "I am, so very sorry about Balyn."

I shuddered, this time with rage. According to his view, it was my place to pretend I didn't know he was involved. That was what he expected of me, 'as a good daughter' he'd said more times than I could count. Unable to make myself stoop to what he wanted, I steeled myself to defy him, knowing there would be punishment. "No you're not."

Father made a short, huff of a laugh. "No, I suppose I'm not, but I am sorry that you are bereaved."

I glanced up at him, surprised at his nonchalant response. He was tall for a Dunmer. He used his height to full effect, always seeming to tower over others. "Was it you?" This only came out as a squeak.

"Sorry," Orvas questioned, cupping a hand to his ear?

"Did you have Balyn killed?" Once the words left my mouth, I knew I'd given him a rope he'd use to strangle me.

Orvas stood still, letting me feel every second of tension and filling the room with his presence. He couldn't help but lick his lips. The fear was delicious to him. Finally, I lowered my head, coming to a conclusion on my own. Only then did Orvas reply, "Not only was he a Telvanni, he worked for the Imperial guild. He was a rival and a race traitor and unworthy of company as rich as yours." Orvas turned the full bearing of his person on me. "You haven't been home since he died. Are you really taking it that badly?" He felt the rough wool of the priestess robe I wore. "Are you dedicating yourself to the Temple as a... priestess?" He drew out the last word, filling it with tones of derision.

I pulled myself away from my father's touch. "I may as well. You won't let me enjoy the company of a gentleman."

Orvas huffed. "Just find one worthy of you and he'll be fine."

"You mean one of your council club goons."

Orvas spun, the back of his hand slapping loudly against my cheek. Pain bloomed, shooting through my face as I collapsed to the ground. Tears stung my eyes, but I bit hard on my lip to fight them back. I couldn't stand giving him the satisfaction of breaking my will. There was a moment of quiet after the echo of the blow died out. None of the Temple staff dared acknowledge the event, those in sight turning their attentions toward anything else. I faced away from my father, rubbing my tender cheek.

Without a glance, Orvas stated, "You will be home for supper with your mother and I tonight and you will wear a dress, not this horse blanket. You are an aristocrat and I won't have you acting like a commoner among these commoners." He turned on his heel and strode to the door, purposefully tipping a large candle over, spilling hot wax on the tile floor for someone else to clean up.

I watched him go with tears brimming and as soon as he was out of ear shot, I broke out into sobs. This temple was the one place I was always safe from my father, his distaste for religion keeping him at bay. Up until now, Orvas had never tried to account for or keep track of the time that I said I spent here. For him to come here felt like a breach of my one sanctuary. My one safe haven was defiled. My life may as well have been over. I couldn't moonlight for the Thieves guild if father could check in on me at any moment.

After enough time had passed that the temple staff were confident Orvas was gone, the priest who oversaw the copying of religious texts came to check on me. His face was kind, his aging Dunmer skin smooth and soft from the gentle priests life he'd led. "Are you alright sera?" His expression betrayed his emotions to me. He wanted to offer comfort, but was lacking in the way of counsel. He was only a priest. What could he do against such a powerful man as Orvas Dren? Though he felt he was right to condemn the Lords actions, he had not the ability to change reality. For a moment, I felt just like him. I felt like the fearful battered little girl I'd been growing up. The girl I'd been before Sugar-lips Habasi found me crying in an alleyway on Balmora's south eastern side. In the moment that Priest held my gaze, I knew I was not like him. I had part chosen and part fallen into the role of a political agent and sabeutur. Father hadn't taken away my last vestige of freedom. He'd delivered an ultimatum, making sure I knew he'd never let me out from under his boot. Now I had to walk carefully and the time to strike back at him was soon at hand and I'd have to leave his house with all the riches and trappings of his position for an uncertain future.

I hastily composed myself and let the priest lift me to my feet. I sat back at my desk to continue writing. The paper with the inkblot regained my attention, having been forgotten among the storm of my other thoughts and emotions. I set the ruined page aside to find a scrap of paper that hadn't been there when I left. It was small, just a torn corner of a sheaf. It read simply, "Patience. Soon. GJS."

I blinked to clear my still damp eyes and glanced around the room, hoping to catch some sign of who had left the note of encouragement, but noticed nothing and no one out of the ordinary. It never ceased to amaze me how the thieves guild found ways to contact me. Their skill gave me hope. I knew couldn't stand up to my father myself. Not in broad daylight, but in the shadows, in the background I would be his worst nightmare. My fingers lightly brushed the daggers strapped to my wrists under my sleeves. "I'll strike again soon," I muttered, too quietly for the others to hear.

 **Gildee**

"What do you mean she's been expelled from the guild? Ajira is the best potion maker in the city!" I was face to face with another enraged Bosmer, Galbedir. The old hag's silver hair was a mess.

"I'll have you know that she directly disobeyed the guildmaster," Galbedir's refined, high pitched voice was the exact opposite of my own and it made me want to vomit. So was her extravagant silk robe when compared to my practical leather hunting apparel.

"Well I say that you and your guildmaster are no talent skanks and Ajira is better off without you!"

Galbedir looked down her short, mousey nose at me, having to tilt her head back due to our similar height. "The day I decide to start taking opinions from filthy tribal elves like you, you'll be the first to know. Until then, please leave the premises. Your stench is nigh unbearable."

Can you believe that uppity witch? Well I did the only logical thing to do when someone highborn insults your smell. I pursed my lips and hocked a loogie right in her face. The next thing I knew, I was flying backwards, ramming the front door open with my spine and staring at the rainy sky from the cold wet cobblestone street.

"And stay out!" Galbedir slammed the mages guild door shut. I admit, I sat dazed in the street for a moment. I honestly thought I'd died and a golden angel was coming to take me to heaven.

""You've got to be careful when getting mages riled up. You never know just what they're capable of."

I blinked several times and a tall, High Elf woman came into focus. I tell you, this has got to be one of the fanciest girls I've ever seen in armor. She was dressed head to toe in this intricately crafted suit of armor that gleamed like gold. The torso piece was closely fitted to match her figure and I'm not saying I'm jealous, but she looked fabulous. A second piece hung down around her waist and thighs like a skirt made of hanging feathers. This goddess reached down to me and pulled me to my feet with ease. I had to think of something classy to say to this girl. "Oh, I've been tossed out of much nicer places than that. Somebody has to bring the high and mighty down a peg," I shook her gloved hand. "I'm Gildee, what's your name?"

The tall, slightly gold skinned High Elf reciprocated. "I'm Cindana." Her smile was so bright I didn't notice the sky was overcast. "If you don't mind me asking, what happened in there?"

I huffed. "A good friend of mine was a premier member of this guild. It would seem she was expelled and nobody knows where she's gone."

Cindana nodded soberly. "Are you, perchance, talking about the alchemist, Ajira?"

"Yeah, how'd you know that goldie?"

Cindana bit her lip in consideration. "She apparently disappeared about the same time as a Dunmer I'm looking for from the Fighters guild."

I couldn't hold back a sly smile. I slid in so we were shoulder to shoulder and playfully nudged her ribs with my elbow. "Are you talking about Han lu? Did that heartbreaker run out on you?"

Her blush was preceded by a moment of incomprehension. "What, oh no! Nothing like that," she insisted, waving her hands for emphasis.

"Too bad," I mused. "He's a real cutie."

"Do you know where he is?"

"No, I met him in Suran last week. He's a friend of Ajira's though."

"Hmm," Cindana looked thoughtfully out over the river and slowly suggested, "We ought to talk. Perhaps you'd allow me to buy you dinner and we can discuss this out of the rain."

Turning up the charm, I grabbed her arm. "Oh, don't worry sweetheart. I'll allow it just this once, but only because you asked so nicely."

 **Cindana Highfael**

I watched in awe as the small Wood Elf laid in to a third plate of whatever meat the Eight Plates diner was offering. 'Nix hound,' I read off a chalkboard by the kitchen. I glanced down to my own plate with a conservative serving of mixed food groups and back at the Wood elf's plate. There were bits of chopped onion and ash yam in the mix of gravy, but that was all the vegetation Gildee allowed in her meal.

"You're of the Green pact aren't you," I observed. "The Bosmeri religion that abstains from eating plant life?"

Gildee paused, surprised by the tidbit of knowledge. "Kind of. It's more like a code of life than a religion and mostly we abstain from the fruits of the vine. The fruits are for the animals and the animals are for us. How do you know about that?"

I allowed one corner of my mouth to up in a grin that met my tired eyes. "I've traveled a lot with my father in his studies. That's actually what I wanted to speak with you about. My father, Itermerel, is a high ranking researcher in the Imperial mages guild. I was supposed to meet him in Pelagiad, but he never showed up. I came to Balmora to look for him and a lead took me to the mages guild. The guildmaster, Ranis Athrys, was… unhelpful at first. Then, one day she remembers that my father left with an escort named Han lu to meet me in Pelagiad. Except, he never arrived. I've been scouring this town for Han lu, but nobody has seen him for days or knows where he's gone. Now I hear that a friend of his disappears around the same time. I get the feeling we need to be looking in the same place."

Gildee's fork paused. "You know, I think there's something wrong in that guild. Nobody wants to look me in the eye and give me straight answers. That guildmaster is especially shifty. I'll bet they're hiding something."

"I agree," I concluded, happy to have someone on my side. "Which is why I propose a partnership. I want to look into the Mages guild and maybe the Fighters too. Otherwise, we have no leads on the people we're trying to find."

Gildee raised her cup. "Partners then?"

I gracefully raised my own and tapped it against Gildee's, who then threw back the whole drink. I paused in bringing my own cup to my lips to watch the Bosmer's rambunctious manner, unable to help a chuckle at how different she and I were. Gildee saw my courtly grin and met it with a mischievous smile. It didn't matter if we were opposites. I liked her.

 **Tyermailin**

I waited in the darkest corner of a corner club on the Northeast coast of Vvardenfell. The coast town of Tel Vos was… small. There was indeed a small town, made of economy houses, mostly owned by farmers and fishermen. The one impressive thing about the town was the local aristocrat's home.

The town of Tel Vos had been built around an Imperial fort. However, that had been at least 200 years past. The fort had lain abandoned and vandalized by the last residents of the dying town. However, a Telvanni Lord with vision had seen more to the castle than just a crumbling ruin. Rather than demolishing or rebuilding the fort, Master Aryon had used the traditional method of Telvanni magic to build living towers out of enormous trees. With patience and magic that had won him a seat as a Telvanni councilman, he planted a tree in the ruins and not only rebuilt the old fort, but enlarged it, continuing halls and rooms, where once had been stone walls. The result was magnificent. The old stone fort was visible as the centerpiece of the tower, but wherever a section had crumbled, the building was fused with the living hollow tree, enlarging and growing out of the structure.

If my business wasn't so clandestine, I would have spent hours touring the truly unique palace. However, this mission was delicate and could prove to be paramount to Caius' goals.

When an armored Imperial opened the door, he stood out like a sore thumb. The other patrons were very notably, working class Dunmer. The professional soldier scanned the place for any other figure that would stand out from the farmers and fishmongers. I certainly did that. A tall, clean, High elf in mage robes was about as common here as a tasteful bottle of wine, which I might add, was nonexistent, much to my chagrin. The soldier made his way through the dinner crowd, drawing only a handful of glances. He was well known around here.

I stood to greet the Imperial with a shallow bow. "I assume you are Turedas," I offered as a greeting.

"I am," the Imperial answered curtly. He stood an average human height, just under six foot. He was clean shaven and well muscled, made even more imposing by the signature Legion armor he wore. The design included overlarge pauldrons which were specifically designed to have that effect. "I'm afraid there's been a misunderstanding," the Imperial explained. "You asked me here to interview for a position in Lord Aryon's employ, however, I don't handle the hiring and usually such business is conducted in the tower proper. If you wish for a position, I must direct you to apply personally."

I smiled at the Imperial, who had not taken a seat, no doubt wishing to conclude this business and be on his way. "There was no misunderstanding good sir, only misdirection." This caught the soldier's attention. His fingers unconsciously stretched out to the handle of his sword.

"What exactly do you mean by misdirection? I have an important position and I don't appreciate people wasting my time."

I felt a thrill of excitement at the prospect of finally doing something worthy of a Blade's agent. Forcing myself to keep a level head, I held up my hands to gently placate Turedas. "I am not wasting your time, you have my word. You seem to be a direct man, so I'll stop beating around the bush. You are Turedas Tulanian, retired distinguished Legionnaire to the Emperor. You served in two campaigns for the Dragon Throne before taking a command position at Gnisis Legion fort here on Vvardenfell accompanied by a promotion to the rank of Knight Errant. However, before you could return home and retire, the quarantine was affected trapping you on the island."

He nodded, stone faced and still looking at me as though I were a coiled snake, ready to strike. "I retired and took a bodyguard position to Lord Aryon. I couldn't keep up with the workload of running the Legion fort anymore. Do you have a point Altmer, or are you just trying make me paranoid?"

I gestured to the seat across from me, which the soldier reluctantly took. "I am not here to cause you trouble. Your Emperor requires your service again."

Recognition shone in the Imperial's eyes. "I suppose we have a lot to talk about. May I suggest we talk over a bottle of wine?"

I recognized the phrase. Caius had taught me that higher ranking Legionnaires were taught code phrases to ask when they suspected they were in contact with an undercover Blade. I deliberately gave the appropriate response. "Surielle brothers is a rare vintage in these parts."

Turedas recognized the code phrase and leaned in, lowering his voice, dropping his guard and lending me his complete trust. "What can I do for my Emperor?"

Brimming with the excitement of a boy stealing from the cookie jar, I responded equally quiet. "What do you know about your employer's grandson?"


	49. Chapter 49 Cell Mates

**Blue**

I fidgeted with the bracer on my arm, causing a constant tapping sound of metal on metal. Han lu rolled over on his bedroll. He too had an enchanted metal bracer to drain the magic from him, but he didn't seem all that interested in getting it off.

The Dark Elf spoke slowly, his voice low, with a slightly threatening note. "Would you mind keeping it down?" Han lu had refused to say much for the last two days. I tried to draw the crab out of his shell, but couldn't seem to shake the blanket of depression from him.

Instead of ceasing my struggle, I spoke between labored breaths. "My bracer is loose. I think I can slip it off. My scales keep catching on it though."

Han lu looked up to my face with a deadpan expression. "Do you know any useful magic?"

"I know a couple spells," I said defensively, not liking his intonation.

"Anything that can get us out of this cell?"

I paused in my fidgeting with the bracer, hoping to come up with something. "Uh… No. I don't think so."

Han lu curled back up on his bedroll. "Then stop making that racket, for the love of Azura," he moaned.

I stopped and leered at the lazy Dunmer. "You know, if I had a second pair of hands, I might be able to get this off. Then it wouldn't annoy you anymore."

Han lu closed his eyes and growled. "Fine, but if the guards see you without it, I wasn't involved."

Han lu stood and sat on a short milking stool next to me. I held out the bracer and pulled it towards his hand. "The problem is that my scales dig into the bracer and make my skin bunch up at the wrist. If you pull the skin tight, the scales might not grab so much."

Han lu placed his hands on my wrist and forearm in front and behind the bracer and pulled the skin underneath tight. I used my free hand to twist the rough piece of metal and slide it up, over my wrist and with some painful contortion, over my hand and off.

"Ha ha," I laughed, tossing and catching the bracer with one hand.

Han lu gave me a look through bleary eyes. "Why was that so important to you?"

I dropped the implement on the ground and relaxed against the wall of the cell. "I grew up with one of those on me. It brings... unpleasant memories. Blue the Argonian is not a slave anymore and I don't care for manacles."

Han lu glanced to the bars of our windowless cell. "You don't look very free to me."

I shrugged. "I take what I can get. I learned to flex my forearm when the slave drivers put the bracers on me. If they had to use a bigger size, they chafed less and sometimes you could get them off. The slave drivers caught on to this eventually, but these guards haven't seemed to." Han lu shook his head and returned to his mattress while I quietly examined his wrist, now free of the bracer. I glanced up to Han lu. "I don't suppose you know any magic that can get us out of here."

Han lu snorted. "Plenty, but I still have a bracer on and the guards here will kill us if they catch us trying to escape. Even if we get past them, the Blades will be tracking us. We won't get far."

I rolled my eyes. Caius didn't mention Han lu would be so uncooperative. I had him talking though and I couldn't afford to let him stop. "So you're just giving up?"

"Yeah." Han lu spoke conclusively. "I'm going to rest and relax until they decide to chop my head off. If you're smart, you'll catch some shut eye while you can."

I narrowed my eyes. "What makes you think they want to kill us? I thought they sounded like they were going to let us go."

"Only if I'll work for them," Han lu explained. "But I can't work for them, so they won't let us go." Han lu glanced over his shoulder at me. "They wouldn't let you go anyway. You know their agents faces and that makes you a liability. We're both bound for the headsman."

Han lu pulled his blanket over his head, indicating that he wasn't in the mood to talk anymore. He didn't realize he'd struck a nerve with me.

In a moment of blind aggravation, I took the bracer and chucked it at the blanket. It landed with a thud, drawing a shout of surprise from Han lu. "What's your problem scaleback," he yelled, throwing his blanket off!

I met Han lu's gaze with an angry retort. "Don't hide from work Blue, or the master will beat you. Don't smuggle the horses medicine to the sick slaves, they'll whip you. Don't try to escape Blue, they'll let the dogs have you." I spat at Han lu's feet. "I learned to ignore voices like yours when I was a child. There is no worth to living under the boot of another. Don't tell me there's no point to escape. I was a slave! Escape is the point!"

Han lu lobbed the heavy bracer back at me. "Fine. Go ahead and escape! Just let me sleep."

"Oh no Dark elf. Don't you remember? You said that if I went to look for your friend, you'd do anything. Name your price, I think were your exact words."

Han lu turned a severe gaze on me. "Pardon me, but did you find her? I assume you might have mentioned such pertinent information by now. She wasn't captured with you, so you didn't find her. She's dead. You didn't fulfill your end of the bargain. Leave me be."

I stood, "You never stipulated that I had to find her. I searched the whole area, including the shipwreck. I found the bodies of all of the crewmen but do you know who I didn't find?"

Han lu's jaw dropped. He stuttered dumbly while collecting his thoughts. "Ajira's a mage." He searched his memory of the day of the naval battle. "Her trunk was stolen, but she still had a satchel. She could have had a recall potion or scroll." Han lu looked to me, eyes sincere and brimming with emotion. "Thanks for letting me know that." He paused, looking at me in a new light. "Look, for what it's worth, I'm sorry you got involved. I'd love to repay you, but there's nothing I can do."

"You could do what these people want," I suggested. "Tell them you'll cooperate if they will let me go."

Han lu sighed. "You just don't understand. They can't let you go. If you were running loose out there, you'd put the Emperor's whole spy network on the island at risk."

"Then I will work for them too. We could be a team." I swiped the blanket from Han lu's bedroll and wrapped it around my shoulder like a toga, standing tall and proud." You dress up as a Dunmer noble." Then I pulled the blanket over my head, clasping it at the neck like a poor man's cloak, hunching submissively. "And I'll be the obedient slave. We'll infiltrate all the Great houses and learn the deepest of secrets. No one will suspect us and we will live in luxurious excess with wealth, wine, and women." I wrapped the blanket around my waist like a skirt and spun around Han lu like the cell was a grand ballroom.

Han lu couldn't help but laugh at my antics. "Okay, slow down with those dreams of grandeur," he chuckled, bringing the mood back to a serious tone. "It just isn't that simple. I kind of stabbed them in the back by trying to leave Vvardenfell on your ship. I don't think they'll let me out unless they have some way to keep me in check. To twist my arm, so to speak."

"Like blackmail?" I questioned.

"Exactly like blackmail."

I wrapped the blanket around my shoulders, pulling it close, just for warmth this time. "How in Nirn did you get yourself in this pickle?"

Han lu shook his head. "Like I told you on the ship. You won't believe the half of it."

"Oh please. I'm imprisoned by the Blades with an apparently treasonous Dark elf they aren't willing to kill. I'm feeling somewhat open minded."

After a moment's consideration, Han lu shrugged. "Well, it all started on the Emperor's birthday."


	50. Chapter 50 Flirtation and Interrogation

**Marayn Dren. Dunmer Mages guild lecturer and tutor.**

I was having a normal, lovely day. I was much happier since I'd retired from House Hlaalu and become a member of the Mages guild. There were still some of the petty politics and backstabbery, mostly due to the Guildmaster Ranis Athrys, but it was far more subdued and less likely to get you killed. I had taken up a lecturing position traveling between guild halls and teaching on subjects like the history of Vvardenfell alongside my magical tutoring. Free of House Hlaalu, I could finally focus on inspiring curious young minds and enjoying the simple daily pleasures of life, such as a cup of tea at a riverside cafe in Balmora while watching the sunrise.

I leaned back in my chair, simply enjoying the morning and watching the town wake up. Two people broke from the crowd, catching my attention. Both were female outlanders, and sat at one of the other cafe tables, not far from my own. I noted that one was an Altmer and the other a Bosmer, but payed them little mind. The two spoke in hushed but excited tones which I found distracting. The Dunmer serving girl took their orders and left. It was a few minutes before I was distracted again. The Altmer failed to stifle her voice as she chided the Bosmer playfully. The sound drew me to glance in the pairs direction. To my surprise, I caught the Bosmer peeking at me before she averted her gaze and giggled with her friend.

Now I may have been an accomplished mage and scholar, but that had never given me an edge with women. The fairer sex had always seemed to prefer the toned, muscle bound, warrior type or the powerful lordly men and once my younger years had passed I had lost interest in pursuing women. However, this playful young Wood Elf had somehow filled my stomach with butterflies with a single glance. She had my undivided attention.

'Should I do something,' I thought? 'Whatever you do, don't stare.' I focused on my teacup, trying to think what I should do. 'I need to just be polite. Please Marayn, for once in your life, be suave.'

Gathering all of my scholarly courage, I lifted my eyes to find her peeking again. I smiled and lifted my teacup as if to say cheers and took a sip. This drew another bout of giggles from the girls and I mentally patted myself on the back. 'Good job, you didn't screw it up.'

I couldn't help but watch them out of the corner of my eye. They seemed to discuss something with mirthful expressions on their faces before the Wood elf stood to her friends embarrassed protests and made her way to my table. 'Oh dear, what should I do?' I straightened in my seat, furiously trying to look casual, but landing in an odd position.

"Good morning," I mumbled, glad I'd been able to come up with something.

"Good morning yourself," she replied, taking a seat across from me. She wore simple commoners clothing, mostly tanned animal hide, but it did show an attractive slender figure underneath. I found myself getting hot under the collar, especially as she leaned forward over the table, perching her chin on her hands in the cutest way. "I love your look. Are you a wizard?"

I wore a robe with a decorative leather harness with a number of metal buckles and loops. In fact, I was proud of my fine outfit, but no one else had ever complimented me on it before.

"W-Why yes I am."

Gildee looked delighted. With a look of genuine interest, she asked, "What sort of things do you do?"

Her easy manner put me at ease immediately, as well as her asking me about my profession. I was a professor after all. Sitting up straighter and with more confidence, I answered, "Well I specialize in history and alteration magic. Lately I've been a traveling tutor of sorts. I assist the students at the different guildhalls with their training and research as needed."

Gildee's face lit up. "You must know so much about the different guildhalls then."

I tilted my head modestly, uncomfortable with Gildee stroking my ego. "I'd consider myself fairly knowledgeable, yes."

Gildee slid over so she was in the chair next to me, not flirtatiously, but still making me flush. "Perhaps I could ask a question then."

"Of course."

"Which of the guildhalls here on Vvardenfell do you think is the best? I've been investigating because I'm considering studying with the guild."

"Well if you wish to focus on your studies, I'd have to recommend the Wolverine hall guild in Sadrith Mora. It's one of the smaller guildhalls, however the Guildmaster there is the most study oriented."

Gildee pursed her lips in disappointment. "Oh, I was hoping it would be closer. I have to take care of my nana here in town."

I eagerly moved to reassure her. "Oh don't let that dissuade you. The guild here in town is fine, the Guildmaster is just much more," I struggled for the right word, "task oriented." I spoke the last part as if it were a question, knowing it wasn't quite right, but hesitant to be more specific.

Gildee averted her eyes, almost shamefully. "I spoke to her once and to be honest, she made me nervous. I'm not sure if she'd be the right teacher for me."

I closed my mouth, gritting my teeth before I could say something out of turn. I was also uncomfortable the presence of Ranis. The Dunmer woman had come from House Hlaalu like myself, but rather than leaving to get away from the petty politics, she seemed to bring them with her. It was obvious she was vying for higher rank and power in the guild and I'd heard some distressing rumors about her attempts to do so. "Yes, she's definitely got an agenda of some sort. I fear sometimes her students get second priority to whatever her plans are at any given moment."

Gildee's eyes flashed with interest. "What sort of things have you heard?"

"Oh, I don't want to spread rumor and doubt. I've never heard any clear evidence of wrongdoing," I backtracked.

To my surprise, the young girls hand slid slowly across the table and I was surprised to find the tips of her fingers over mine. There was an unnatural spark of sensation between us for a moment which I immediately dismissed as a wave of emotion fell over me. Suddenly, more than anything, I wanted to say whatever would bring a smile to this pretty girls lips.

Gildee tilted her head to one side, bright green eyes focused on mine. "I understand. It's very upstanding of you to look out for your guild. I was just worried there might be something that could affect me as a student. It's all just academic curiosity of course."

"Well, if you can keep it between us," I eagerly declared, getting goosebumps as her face lit with hope. "There's been a larger flow of guild dues from her guild than normal. I'm not very involved with the guild finances, but it seemed odd to me that she's making so much money. I'm not sure where it could be coming from. I thought about questioning her about it, but it's not really my place."

Gildee scooted closer, as if to better keep our conversation a secret, placing a hand on my shoulder. "You also said her guild members came second to her agenda. What do you mean by that?"

I shivered involuntarily with the pretty young woman so close to me. "Well, she reached out to a Telvanni wizard demanding that he join as a part of her guild. She sent two of her students to do it, knowing ahead of time about the temperment of the Telvanni. Those students could have been in great danger. I heard they were recently expelled, even though they successfully recruited the wizard. And then there was a researcher from the Summerset Isles. During his stay, Ranis kept pressing him for details of his research. She pestered him for so long that he left and stayed at an inn until he needed to leave Balmora. Two days after he left, I found some of his notes in the rubbish bin in the guild hall. I don't know how they would have ended up there. He was supposedly in Pelagiad."

Gildee wore a look of concern. "Were they important? Maybe he'll come back for them."

I shrugged. "I kept them, but it doesn't mean anything to me. It talked about Oblivion streams, but I've never pursued research on the Oblivion realm. Besides, it's been a week or more. If he needed them, I'm sure I would have heard."

"Do you know where he is now?" Gildee pursuing her questions with a boldness that now seems unordinarily pushy, but at the time seemed perfectly reasonable.

I averted my gaze. "Nobody in the guild has heard from him. The last one to see him was one of the students that was expelled. He was a Dark Elf I think."

"Han lu?" Gildee asked.

"Ah, yes. That was his name." I paused, suddenly hit with an uncharacteristic pang of jealousy. "Do you know him?"

"I met him once," she answered, standing up. I rose too, alarmed that she was leaving so suddenly. "Thank you for your help Muthsera."

"Marayn," I insisted, hoping to leave an impression on the girl. "No need to be so formal Miss…"

"Gildee," she answered.

"I hope I shall see you at the guildhalls soon," I said wishfully.

"Oh I wouldn't doubt it," Gildee responded, a winning smile on her face. "It was a pleasure talking to you."

"The pleasure was all mine, I assure you."

I remained at my table, dumbstruck with puppy love. So much so that I didn't notice that Gildee and the Altmer left the cafe before their order was even served.

 **Cindana Highfael**

Gildee and I walked side by side alongside the river. I shook my head disbelieving. "Wow, you got him to tell you everything."

Gildee giggled and turned to a dock sticking out into the Odai. She leapt playfully onto the tops of the wooden pylons that served as the docks supports, balancing playfully on one leg before jumping to the next one. "It's all a matter of charm Cindy. When I turn it on, men just can't say no." Gildee got to the last pylon and turned to see me watching her with sad eyes. She leaped down next to me, laying a comforting hand on my arm. "Hey, what's the matter?"

I took a deep breath through my nose, keeping my lips pursed to keep them from trembling before looking Gildee in the eye. "He said no one's heard from my father. I'm really worried about him. What if he ran into trouble? He's a scholar, not a spellsword like me."

Gildee hugged me with one arm while urging me to keep walking. "Don't worry about that. He was with Han lu. Han lu is Ajira's friend. She said he's very versatile and dependable."

"Gildee," I stopped, making the Wood elf turn and look me in the eye. "Han lu was working for Ranis. It sounds like she's bad news. What if she had Han lu do something to my father? How did my father's research notes end up back at the guild hall?"

Gildee bit her lip, coming to terms with the likely story. "It sounds like Ranis is the only person with the information we need."

"She won't talk. I've already questioned her. She just referred me to Han lu, who disappeared the same day I started looking for him. We could threaten her, but she's got her guild to protect her."

"Then we'll just have to get her out of her guild," Gildee suggested, an impish look spreading across her face. Somehow, the silly girls antics calmed my troubled mind. She had a plan.


	51. Chapter 51 For Love of a Mother

**Han lu Urshar.**

Blue had left his bracer off for the last couple of hours to let his magic recharge. He slipped it back on, explaining, "Let's play a joke on the guards." The bracer would slowly drain his magica, but he would have enough for a couple small spells during the next hour. He reached his scale covered claw tipped hands out towards the heavy wooden desk beyond the bars. The charismatic lizard had somehow convinced me to teach him a telekinesis spell over the past month. I'd dragged my feet, trying to remain in my pool of misery, but the Argonian would have none of it. Despite myself, I was glad for his company.

The air shimmered between Blue's hand and the desk and the piece of furniture scraped loudly against the stone floor as if Blue had tugged on it with a rope.

A guard rushed to the room to investigate, his armor causing a racket. The door burst open and he advanced inside, sword drawn and tower shield raised. He scanned the room and was surprised to find the desk moved despite the two prisoners still locked in their cells with their bracers on.

"Who moved the desk?" He barked in a voice of command.

Blue pointed at the opposite door. "There was a hooded Khajiit. He ran that way!" The guard gave Blue an incredulous look. "Hurry, he's getting away," Blue insisted!

The guard burst through the next door to search the warehouse. My mask of seriousness cracked as I chortled, desperately trying to muffle myself by pressing a balled fist to my mouth and slightly shaking my head. Blue made a mocking bow, rising to full height just in time for the guard to return with Caius' Nordic agent.

"Show me your bracers, now," he commanded! Blue and I both extended our silver gilded arms through the bars, presenting them for inspection. The Nord grabbed one in each of his hands, giving each a solid tug. Blue must have bunched up his muscles, because his bracer stayed as secure as mine. When the Nord was sure the the pieces were secure, he gave a mighty heave on each of our arms, pulling us to crash violently against the bars. "If that desk moves again I'll have you both whipped. I don't care if you had nothing to do with it, I don't care if there was a thief, I don't even care if it's the ghost of Tiber Septim. Are we clear?"

We both nodded enthusiastically. The Nord released us with an aggressive jerk and righted the heavy desk with a mighty shove before leaving us be again. I rubbed my forehead where a stinging red welt had formed. "Great plan you comedian."

Blue grinned sarcastically, but fell quiet for a time, allowing me to get some sleep. I didn't awake until the Nord, Sjorvar, returned to the room and sat at the desk, granting us a couple of glances. We watched him as he got comfortable and opened a number of letters with unbroken wax seals. He read each one looking bored.

Blue lost interest rather quickly, but I noticed a faint peculiarity in Sjorvar's behavior. At first I was unable to figure out what it was, but I continued watching, sitting up against the back wall to get a better view. The longer I watched, the more I noticed that Sjorvar moved just a little too deliberately. 'He's putting on an act,' I thought. 'Caius wants us to see whatever Sjorvar is doing right now. Whatever it is, Sjorvar was the wrong choice. Nords aren't known for their subtlety and he made a poor play actor.'

Now I watched intently, trying not to blink as the Nord went from letter to letter. Upon reading one of the letters, Sjorvar's eyes widened just a little too dramatically. He straightened in his seat and finished the letter with a serious look. He then tucked it back into it's envelope and left the room in a hurry.

'That letter must be important, but it's obvious that Sjorvar was told to make it look like it was important. Why?' I didn't move for the better part of an hour, arguing with myself. 'It could be a trick. Caius wants to see if we have a way to get the letter. They wait for us to bring it into the cell and barge in. They see the letter and Caius knows we have access to magic.'

This line of thinking forced me to wait, one hour, then two, fully expecting someone to peek through the door. I strained my ears, thinking I'd catch the ruffle of armor or clothing or even the scuff of a boot on the floor as an agent waited on the other side of the wall, staring at the letter through a crack. I found no sign of observation. Finally, I could stand my curiosity no longer. I knelt next to Blue, who had fallen asleep and placed my hand on his shoulder to wake him. He stirred and I whispered, "Get me that letter."

Blue had to once again slip off his bracer and wait a half hour before he was confident he had a large enough pool of magic to do the spell. Finally, he motioned as if beckoning the letter towards the cell and it jumped off the table, onto the floor. I had to reach through the bars, but I pulled the letter from the envelope and pored over it.

"All agents are called from their current assignments for a priority one operation. The fugitive Virisa Urshar has been confirmed to be hiding somewhere in the region of Tel Vos. Sources say her father, Master Aryon of Great House Telvanni, is granting her refuge and keeping her hidden in his territory. Taking Virisa into custody is our number one priority. She is not to be killed or wounded during capture. Virisa is known to be skilled in combat magics and resourceful in avoiding and evading authorities. Please keep in mind the delicate relationship between the Great Houses and the Empire, however some political damage may be unavoidable."

The letter went on to give instructions for different agents at different posts, but none of it was relevant to me. Blue watched me read the letter with an anxious look. "What does it say,' he prodded curiously?

I finished a few mental calculations. "It says that all the Blades agents have been called away from guarding us to something more important. I'd say it's time to escape."

Blue nodded slowly, thinking carefully. "Do you think it could be a trap."

I sighed. "It's the best kind of trap. The kind I have to step into even though I know it's a trap." My friend groaned and I empathized, patting him on the back. "Welcome to my life."


	52. Chapter 52 No More Ms Nice Girl

**Ranis Athrys. Balmora Mages Guild Master.**

I closed the door to my office/bedroom, locking the trapped lock with my key before changing from a robe to sleeping clothes. At my desk, a couple letters sat waiting to be read. I peeked at each one to see who had sent them. Edwinna Elbert, Llarer Bareloth, Trebonius Artorius. "Bah," I muttered, tossing them back on the table. So much of the Guildmaster's job was to deal with people's petty problems. When I took that old boob Trebonius' position as Archmage, things would be run differently. My underlings would do as they were told and the Guild would be a powerful influence in Vvardenfell. There would be no more silly experimentation or wasteful hours of study. Students could learn on the job.

Rubbing my temple, I reached for a bottle in my drawer along with a glass. As always, I used a detection spell to check for poison in my drink, a habit from my time in House Hlaalu. Finding no hidden poisons, I poured a shot of the fiery drink. Before my mind even registered the abnormal taste of the liquor on my tongue, I found myself standing outside, barefoot in the Balmora Temple courtyard.

"What the devil," I spat, dropping my glass? An armored figure stepped through the entryway into the courtyard and a spell shot from her hand.

I dropped to the ground instinctively, adrenaline pumping, and fired back. Accessing my pool of magicka and willing the energy in the air between us to split apart resulted in a lightning bolt which the Altmer deflected into the air with a spectral shield. My opponent flanked left firing colorful streaks of light over the temples small gardens at me. I rolled sideways to avoid the spells, springing to my feet and firing back by willing the water in the air to gather and freeze into rods. I whipped the volley of clear thin ice spikes at the sorceress. She flanked me at a sprint, stepping into the light. I recognized her immediately as the golden clad High Elf, Cindana. The ice shattered against the courtyard's adobe wall, each one just too slow to hit the girl. Sweat gathered on my brow from the sudden exertion and the realization that I was facing a skilled opponent. I took a sharp breath, constricted my core, physically preparing for her next attack and trying to drive away the battle tension that had rooted in my belly. My willpower failed me as my uncertainty grew. Panic and desperation drove me toward simpler spells rather than well thought out strategy. I let loose a mighty torrent of flame from my hands which engulfed Cindana, my fear distracting me from the the feeling of a small prick on my neck.

My stream of magicka rushed from my core and warmed my arms as I let it vent with no more control than being cast in a general direction. The power left my fingertips and changed into heat, energy's simplest form, lighting the priests garden plants on fire. The spell was wasteful and inefficient and I would have considered that had I been calm. Out of desperate self preservation, I put all my magicka into the attack until the flames died out and I had nothing left in reserve. To my horror, Cindana stood from where she'd been crouched behind her elven shield, her hair a bit shorter and blacker than it had been moments before. I paused, putting a hand to my neck, finally noticing the small sting. My fingers fumbled and I pulled a dart from my skin before collapsing to the loose garden soil, losing all muscle control. By the Tribunal, I couldn't even call for help.

A young woman squealed in delight from atop the courtyard wall, holding a simple bamboo tube. "I knew we could put something in her drink. They only check for poisons, not potions."

Cindana secured her shield on her back with a leather shoulder strap before hauling my dead weight over her shoulder without regard to the pain it caused in my gut. "We have to leave, that was loud."

The other woman, I now recognized as Gildee, a Bosmer who had caused a stir at the guild not long ago, turned to look back at the town. "Oh, a guard is walking up the steps to the temple."

"We can't let him see me," Cindana warned. "My armor's too easily recognizable."

Gildee tucked away her dart gun and drew her bow, lobbing an arrow far over the guards head to skitter off the stone path behind him. He turned on the noise with a verbal challenge, waving his torch nervously to investigate the sound.

"Go," Gildee prompted. Cindana exited the courtyard and followed the outer wall around until we were out of sight of the guard. Once Cindana was in the clear, Gildee daintily dropped from her perch landing soundlessly on the grass and following Cindana through the dark to Balmora's northern wall.

They pressed into the shadows of the wall, my face bouncing off of Cindana's armored back with every step. "Okay Gildee," she groaned, struggling with my weight. "You distract the guards."

Gildee traipsed to the stairway leading to the parapet where a couple of guards stood watch over both the city and the outer perimeter. The guards near the entrance turned to face her. "Excuse me, but I just heard a bunch of loud noises from the Temple. I don't know what you people do to worship in this town, but it sure makes it hard to sleep."

Cindana ducked through the open archway while Gildee droned on to the guards. Her metal armor clinked as she moved, but thanks to the light moonstone metal it was made of and the fine leather backing, the sound wasn't very loud at all. Gildee put on her most obnoxious voice to cover the noise.

"Okay outlander," one of the guards yielded, holding up his hands for her to stop. "I'll go check out what's happening, but I'm sure the patrol is already looking into it."

"You know, whatever," Gildee responded, waving her hands in annoyance. "I'm going to Caldera where a girl can rest peacefully through the night."

She descended the stairs to join Cindana outside the wall guards line of sight. I could only watch limply from my position on Cindana's shoulder as the two elves took me out into the wilderness in the dead of night.

"Are you tired Cindy?" Gildee chimed, "She looks heavy."

"Yeah, do you want a turn?"

Gildee snorted. "I don't think I could lift her. It'd be a shame if I dropped her on her face."

"No it wouldn't," Cindana stated bitterly, turning the conversation awkward and killing Gildee's conversational mood.

Gildee led the way with her hunters knowledge of the terrain. All signs of her playful nature deserted her in anticipation of whatever they had planned. She led us to a spot far outside of town and out of earshot of any commonly used travelers paths as a precaution. The Odai river valley opened up much wider the further north you went. Caldera was nestled against the low mountains on the west side of the valley. My captors hugged the opposite mountain on the western side until they came to a predetermined destination marked only by a pile of dirt, a six foot deep hole, and a pair of shovels. I felt my chest fill with dread. My body was still fully paralyzed, unable to so much as widen my eyes with terror as Cindana lowered me, feet first, into the hole. Cindana held me in a standing position, dangling me by my arms while Gildee took one of the shovels and began to backfill the hole with dirt around me.

My heart raced faster and faster as the hole was filled around me. First up to my ankles, then my knees. By the time I was buried up to my hips, tears streamed down my eyes, unaccompanied by sobs or ragged breathing. I rebelled against my disconnected body, willing myself to move. I'd have given anything just to be able to speak, to beg for mercy. The girls ignored me altogether, Cindana with the look of an executioner and Gildee with determination, grunting occasionally from her work.

Cindana dropped my arms once my legs were securely buried, letting my limp body lean back against the wall of the hole. Both girls continued to bury me, scraping dirt into the hole, pelting my face with pebbles and moist clumps of earth. Loose earth collected in my limp bottom lip and even bounced back into my mouth. My body instinctively hacked without my conscious direction, spewing dirt and leaving a line of spit hanging off my bottom lip. They buried me up to my jaw, only then sheathing their shovels in the ground and pausing, catching their breath. I stared up at them from a foot below the surface, my kidnappers silhouettes outlined by the blue and red moons Masser and Secunda. The only sounds were the light breeze and the pairs breathing.

Cindana closed her eyes and pointed her open hand at me. The feeling of control returned to my body starting at the tip of my scalp and ending just above my shoulders. I inhaled, breaking into gasping, panicked breaths and tried to speak, knowing each of these girls had something they wanted from me. "You must release me at once," I sputtered in fear. "My guild will notice my disappearance and they will surely investigate."

Gildee gently knelt beside the hole, staring down at me with a look of sadness. "I don't think so. From what we've gathered, most of your guildlings will be more than happy to be rid of you. You know what we want from you."

I tried and failed to maintain my composure. "You obviously aren't familiar with the rules of negotiation. You can't kill me or you'll never find out what I know."

Gildee tilted her head with longsuffering. "It doesn't matter. Cindana and I are tired of being stonewalled. You'll tell us what we want to know or we'll bury you. You have no tricks, no leverage. Just talk."

I said nothing, knowing that my silence was the only thing keeping me alive. Gildee reached down and stroked my cheek. I felt a tingle and recognized the feeling of a charm spell. I instantly flooded with unnatural fond feelings for my captor, but I am not so easily manipulated. I was of House Hlaalu and had been raised for politics. Despite the unnatural affection I felt, I bit my tongue as I'd been taught, knowing that if I spoke, I'd likely reveal everything.

It was minutes before Gildee sighed and stood, brushing the dirt from her leather breeches. She took a shovel and scooted another scoop of dirt into the hole. I closed my eyes against the soil and struggled with all my might, twisting my neck back and forth as if the effort might free me from the hole, but the dirt piled higher and higher until I could only breath by tilting my head far backwards.

"Stop!" I screamed, no longer able to see with the dirt covering my eyes. The burying halted and I broke. Panic stole any sense of discipline or logic. "The Khajiit, Ajira. She's with that Dark Elf Han lu. I expelled them from the guild when they refused to work for me anymore. Ajira took the silt strider and I lost track of her. Han lu disappeared that night. That's all I know, I swear."

There was a long pause and I heard a whispered voice, muffled by dirt. "What of Itermerel? Did you have him killed?"

I sobbed, shuddering too hard to get an answer out. My body trembled in place. Eventually, Cindana decided she had her answer. She ceased the spell, leaving me fully paralyzed and dumped a shovel full of dirt into my open mouth. By the time the two elf girls left with shovels in hand, nobody would notice the small circle of turned soil out in the wilderness. Even if somebody happened upon it, new plants would be sprouting there within days and in two weeks, it would blend in perfectly with the surrounding vegetation covering the patch of ground. The last thing I felt was loose soil settling in my throat. I couldn't even cough as my lungs were starved for air.


	53. Chapter 53 Try Your Fate

The setting was an expansive open throne room with a ceiling like the night sky and a floor of stars. Wayn knew he was dreaming. The Redguard was not known for his powerful imagination, nor his comprehension for things beyond the mundane. He was a member of the fighters guild and a blacksmith. Naturally, anything this beautiful had to be a dream.

A voice boomed out across the throne room, both powerful and feminine. "Emperors and kings strive for control, men and elves seek to shape the future in their image and yet, so fickle is fate that the survival of Tamriel may hinge on the actions of one. The smallest pebble may move the stillest lake and the beauty of a butterfly may steal the attention of a God. So it is in your case noble Redguard, and I say noble with purpose, for it is a matter of your personal honor that fate now hinges upon."

Wayn turned about, searching the room with his eyes. He found a woman with sky blue translucent skin standing upon a dais of moonstone. In one hand she held the bright burning sun and in the other she held the crescent moon. He was unable to speak, but the woman continued.

"I would not presume to tell you what you must or must not do Redguard. However, I wish you to understand the consequences of your actions. You made a vow much like many others you've made before. You saw a Khajiit safely to Seyda Neen and promised not to speak of the event, however there is one who needs to know. If she does not find out, it will set in motion a chain of events leading to utter ruin to all the mortal races of Nirn."

The concave ceiling became animated with millions of stars aligning to show Wayn a vision of destruction. Scenes of battles between daedra, monsters, and various mortal armies were depicted, all of them being overshadowed by a massive manlike figure with a golden mask.

"Now you must weigh the value of your honor Redguard. You can remain true to your word and keep your secret, or you can seek the elven maiden clad in gold and tell her what you did. Do this and I will repay you by helping you avoid the fires of fate."

Wayn jerked awake in his bed hyperventilating. It only took the man a moment of thought before he dressed and left the fighters guild to seek the maiden in gold.

 **Blue. Argonian male.**

It took a lot to make me nervous, but it could be done. Such was the case when Han lu had me use my telekinesis spell to yank our prison guard against the bars of our cell. I watched Han lu lunge, his arm a striking serpent as it darted between the bars and locked around the soldiers neck. Apprehension and excitement battled for dominance in me at the sight of the Imperial squirming against the choke hold and slowly falling still. Han lu lifted the keyring from the soldier's belt and freed himself of his bracer for the first time since being taken prisoner. Then he waited.

I whispered to him with alarm. "What are you waiting for?"

"Trust me," Han lu urged. He waited another two minutes, letting his body store up some magic. If I had sweat glands, I would have been soaked. Finally, Han lu cast some sort of spell on the cell door before turning the key in the lock and swinging it open, all without a hint of a squeak or squeal of metal on metal. He stepped through and took the sword from the dead guard. "Wait here."

I stayed glued to the spot. There was something different in Han lu's eyes since he read the letter. All signs of his pervasive apathy were gone, replaced with… what was it? Indignation? Not quite. How about menace? His intensity set my scales on edge.

In the space of five minutes, Han lu dragged the bodies of two more dead guards into the room, bleeding from slit throats.

'Yes,' I thought to myself. 'Menace is the right word.'

Han lu beckoned me into the damp warehouse, now clear of guards. "This place should have anything we could need. These warehouses have every sort of tradegood confiscated for every sort of reason. Stock up."

We scavenged the various containers. There was truly a trove here. Weapons, armor, clothing, potions, books, scrolls, contraband, and food.

"What do the Imperials plan on doing with these riches?" I asked, marveling.

Han lu laughed humorlessly. "You won't believe me. They used to hold auctions to help bring in funds for the legion, but it was found out that the money was being embezzled in many garrisons across the Empire, so the Emperor put a stop to it, canceling all auctions until he can have auditors sent to oversee each one. On the surface, it seems like a good plan. However, the garrisons have to wait for auditors to travel to each auction and the Imperial tax commision is short staffed right now." He paused in thought. "Or at least it was when I was back in Cyrodiil. Anyway, while the auctions are delayed, many of the perishable food goods and potions spoil and in humid climates like this, if weapons, armor, clothing, books, and scrolls aren't properly stored and maintained, they rust and rot. Honestly, anything we take is just being saved from getting wasted anyway. By the looks of this warehouse, I'm guessing they haven't had an auction since before the quarantine."

I turned back to the crates, any feeling of guilt for taking these things gone with the wind. "What sort of things should we take?"

"That depends on you." Han lu replied, sorting through dry foods for supplies. "If you're smart, you'll take what you can, jump in the ocean, and swim as far as you can from me and any Imperial strongholds as you can."

I looked up in alarm. "I thought I was going with you."

"If you think that's best. Just realize, the Blades will all come after me and I'm headed the same place they are."

I stood up straight to face the Dunmer. "You still owe me for going to look for your friend. Did you forget, or were you trying to get out of it? Where is your honor grayskin?"

Han lu stopped packing, slumping forward with a sigh and meeting my gaze. "The Empire is after my mother. The letter gave me a general idea of where to look for her. Until I can ensure her safety, nothing else matters to me and in reality, I'll probably be killed by the Empire in the next couple weeks. So with that in mind, what is it you think you're going to get from me? Why not just take these riches and run while you have your freedom?"

I sneered, matching Han lu's flushed, purposeful gaze. "I… I left someone... At Dren plantation." Han lu's eyes widened slightly with understanding and I took it as a sign to continue. "You seem crafty and you showed up on my ship with lots of money. I thought, with someone like you helping me, I could find a way to free my Neesha. That's why I was working as a smuggler, to earn money. I thought maybe I could find someone to buy her freedom for me."

Han lu was struck to silence, unsure of how to respond. Eventually he stammered, "Look, you… you have my sympathies…"

I cut him off, slicing my hand through the air like a knife. "Damn your sympathies. I didn't swim halfway to Skyrim because you promised me your sympathies. You said name your price. Now are you going to honor your word or back out like a shameless cur?"

Once again, it took Han lu a moment to respond. "I want to be honorable, I really do, but I cannot leave my mother to face a prison and be held hostage so the Empire can strong arm me into doing what they want. I cannot do that."

I held out my arms in a conciliatory gesture. "Look Dunmer, I understand. We are both looking out for the ones we love. Let me offer an olive branch. I'll go with you and we rescue your mother. We play it smart and lay low. Then you can repay your debt to me."

Han lu took a few steps to close the distance between us, throat tight with emotion. "You'd do that for me?"

I held one hand outstretched to Han lu. "If you will save my Neesha, I'll owe you a debt greater than I could ever repay."

Han lu clasped my rough scaled hand firmly and shook it. "If we survive this, I'll do everything I can to help you. I even have a contact with the Drens who might be able to help us."

I snorted. "Of course you do. I had a feeling you were the sort who knows all the right people."

"Or all the wrong ones." Han lu gave my hand one last firm shake before turning back to the supplies. "We'll have to cross the ashlands. Tel Vos is on the opposite side of the island from us. I wish we could take a ship around, but the Imperial navy will be searching ships once our escape is discovered. We could have used the the Mages guilds teleportation grid, but I was recently expelled by them. Besides, we need to avoid towns as much as possible."

"We'll need water skins," I contributed, grimacing at the anticipation of the hot, dry, dust laden winds. "There are some fresh water sources in the ashlands, like hot springs, but I don't know where they are and some water is poisonous. I wish we still had the Dren's horse from the ship. It would have made the journey much easier."

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry about Traveler. He was an exceptional horse. You raised him well."

The compliment made me smile. No one had ever complimented me for my work before. Good work was simply expected of a slave. Anything less brought punishment.

We didn't find any water skins in the crates, but the guards had two large ones they kept hanging on the wall for their patrols. By the time we were ready to sneak away from the warehouse, we both wore warm travel clothing with cloaks and scarves for the ash storms. We stole some armor, avoiding the heavy plate and chainmail in preference of low profile scale armor, often used by Imperial archers and scouts. It was comprised of thin metal scales sewn to a flexible leather cuirass in an overlapping pattern. Still, somewhat heavy, but considering we might be headed into a fight, we decided it was worthwhile.

Besides that, we each chose a couple other pieces of armor. Han lu took a dirk, an Imperial shortsword, a sturdy spear, and found a wooden bow that wasn't warped too badly out of shape from the damp climate. I found a pair of hand axes, a thin dagger from one of the guards, and upon Han lu's suggestion, a spear. We each took a water bag, slinging them over our shoulders along with burlap sacks filled with supplies.

I looked to Han lu, ready to depart. The Dunmer surprised me, tipping a crate of linens on the ground. "Set that on fire. It will keep the rest of the garrison busy during our escape." With a pang of worry about what Caius would think of wanton destruction I hesitated and Han lu fixed me with a questioning look. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I hurried to assure him. Wincing, I ushered a small burst of flame from my palm and set the linens ablaze before following Han lu to the front door of the warehouse. While Han lu unbolted the door, I bit my lip in worry. 'I hope I haven't ruined my chances of working with the Empire.' I glanced back at the three dead guards and the steadily climbing flames. 'This was not a part of Caius' deal.'


	54. Chapter 54 Retribution

**Gildee.**

"Are you sure we should be listening to that guy," I once again asked Cindana? "He seemed a bit on the crazy side to me."

Cindana gave a long suffering sigh. Some random Redguard running up to her in the late evening claiming to have knowledge of the people she was looking for. It seemed too convenient. "What should we have done Gildee? It's the only lead we've found."

I wrapped my short hunters cloak tighter around my shoulders. "We could have waited until morning. Nights are for curling up somewhere with a warm fire, not for traveling the countryside. Winter's coming on you know?" I looked ahead at the Altmer. "You do know that, right? I mean, seeing as we're working together, it feels like a pertinent detail. We won't be traveling every night, will we?"

Cindana seemed to ignore me, craning her neck for a better look up the path. This frustrated me. "Hey, are you hearing me?"

"Shh." Cindana ordered, making me pout. However, I soon forgot the conversation as I picked up on excited shouting ahead and a bright light from between the trees. "Seyda Neen is on fire."

We rushed towards the town until, from the outskirts, we had a good view of the excitement.

"That's the Census and Excise warehouse," I told Cindana, being more familiar with the different towns of Vvardenfell than the Altmer.

"They need help," Cindana insisted, seeing that the fire brigade had given up the warehouse as a loss and were rushing to wet the other thatch roof buildings with water from the sea. She started to run, but I caught her arm and pulled her back.

"Wait, look." Two figures caught my eye as they rose from a copse of trees and bushes to sprint away from the town on the eastern path towards Pelagiad and Suran. "They look suspicious, don't they?"

After sharing a glance, we gave chase to the runners and gained ground fast. What little moonlight shone was still enough to see that the runners were traveling much heavier than we were.

"Stop where you are!" Cindana ordered in a voice of authority. When the runners refused to comply, she sent a paralyze spell at one of them. It was blocked by a hastily summoned ward, but it was enough to get the runners attention. The cloaked figures turned, both lowering spears to keep Cindana and I at a distance. We prepared for a confrontation, Cindana shrugging her shield around and onto her arm and drawing her bright broadsword. I fell back, knocking an arrow to my bow.

"Leave us be," a Dunmer voice commanded, unfazed by Cindana's tone. "We'll fight if provoked!"

"Han lu?" I chirped, unaware of the variety of emotions I would cause among the group. As for myself, I was excited, now hopeful of finding my feline friend. Han lu stiffened with nervous confusion until he recognized me, making him more nervous and then recognizing Cindana, his face becoming a mask of dread. The Argonian glanced quickly between all of us. He hefted his right axe, ready to throw and watched me warily.

As for Cindana, her calm exterior never faltered, it only focused. Her sword hand fell to the helmet fastened to her belt with a slip knot and she placed her helmet on her head, never breaking the warrior stare between her and Han lu. Her shield remained between them, ready to catch an attack or dampen a spell.

"I need to talk with you Han lu," she said, her voice like the smooth growl of a predator.

The Dark elf's eyes flicked to the burning building just beyond the marsh trees. "This isn't the best time for me," he deflected, needing to put some distance between him and Seyda Neen before the fire burned out.

"Too bad," Cindana coldly stated. "I've been searching for you for weeks. I demand you tell me what happened to Itermerel."

Running out of options, he tried to lie. "The mages guild researcher? I took him to a tavern in Pelagiad."

"I was waiting at the tavern that day. I never saw him or you. I'm sick of being lied to," Cindana said, voice rising in intensity. "Where is my father?"

"I don't have time to argue with you right now," Han lu backpedaled, backing away, voice starting to tremble with fear and guilt.

Cindana strode forward, shield like a wall and her sword steady alongside it, ready to strike. "You're going nowhere!"

Han lu struck with the spear, jabbing past the shield, at Cindana's face, through the gap in her helmet. She easily knocked it away and swiped at the spear shaft with her sword. Han lu angled the spear to knock the sword upwards. He spun, using the distance the spear had granted him to swipe the shaft at Cindana's legs. The spear clanged against Cindana's armored boot, her solid stance proving more than a match for the cheap tactic.

I loosed the tension on my bowstring, lowering the arrow. "No, stop! We need to talk!" The Argonian was hesitant to interfere.

Han lu was unbalanced when his spear failed to trip Cindana and she used the distraction to charge in close and bash him in the chest with the flat of her shield. The Argonian finally came to his companions aid, swiping at Cindana's neck with his right. Cindana caught the blow on her shields face and struck him in the side with the flat of her blade, unaware of the armor underneath. She had no desire to kill the Argonian. She followed up with a shield bash in his face only to catch Han Lu's spear in her chest. Her armor stopped the spearhead and she fell back a pace into a sturdy stance, never letting Han lu put her off balance.

Han lu stabbed twice more, each time, Cindana easily caught the blows on her shield. Han lu strafed to her left, hoping to give Blue an opening, but I raised my bow at the Argonian. "Stop. All of you stop!" Blue dropped his axes and raised his open hands, but Cindana and Han lu kept circling, searching for weaknesses in each others stances. I was angry at how things were going and it was beyond my power to charm them into discussing this civilly. The cloudy sky seemed to sense my distress and began drizzling rain.

Han lu jabbed to the left, drawing Cindana into blocking with her sword. Han lu used his superior leverage to slap the sword aside, then reversed, knocking into Cindana's shield. He extended his spear past her defenses, not striking at her well armored body, but instead, slapped her metal clad sword hand painfully with the spear. She held her grip on it stubbornly, but Han lu didn't let up. He swiped the spear up to clang against her helmet loudly and right back down to her sword hand. This time, she dropped it. Her now free, but throbbing armored hand caught the spear before he could withdraw it and pulled him forward, off balance. She again slammed the flat of her shield into his torso and arm as one of his hands still fought for control of the spear.

Han lu took a number of painful blows until he let Cindana cast the spear aside so he could use both hands to wrestle with her shield. She was tall, but he had just a little strength on her still. Using his two handed grip on her shield, he straightened her arm painfully and forced her down to a knee, then threw one arm around her neck, securing his grip before adding his second arm to the hold. Cindana gagged at the overwhelming pressure and knew she only had seconds to break the choke hold.

Using her long legs, she pushed to her full height and forced Han lu to stumble backwards into a shallow marsh. She continued pushing them both backwards as her consciousness faded and by sheer luck, backed him into a tree, pinning him painfully against it with the weight of her armored body. The pressure of her back to Han lu's sternum drove the air violently out of his lungs and his vision filled with stars.

With a sudden flow of fresh blood to her brain, Cindana filled her lungs before following up, throwing Han lu over her hip with a two handed grip on his right arm and into the ankle deep muck. He came up covered in the smelly mud, gasping for breath after the blow to his ribs. Cindana plunged her shield downward bringing the edge down brutally upon his spine, making him drop back into the muck from the flash of pain. She struck him twice more in the same manner, thoroughly knocking the fight out of him before grabbing him by the shoulders, throwing him backwards against the trunk and drawing a dagger from her boot to press sharply against his neck.

I gasped, fearful that Cindana was about to kill Han lu. Instinctively I screamed, "Cindy no!"

Blue saw his chance and burst forward while I was turned away, tackling me at the waist and driving me to the ground, sending my drawn arrow off into the sky. I struggled with him on top of me, pushing at his arms and face until he wrestled me into submission, finally pulling his dagger and pressing the length of the blade against my throat. "If you kill him, I'll kill her," Blue warned Cindana. We all sat willfully still except for everyone's heavy breathing, looking back and forth at one another. Han lu's breaths became shorter and more ragged until they became blubbering sobs.

Cindana held his shaved head against the tree, her emotion finally breaking into her voice. "What happened to my father?"

Han lu refused to meet her gaze and unable to get a full breath, he blubbered the words, "I killed him." He paused, keeping his gaze down on Cindana's cuirass, unable to meet her eyes. "Ranis hired me to get Itermerel's research for her and I couldn't talk him into giving it up, so I killed him… and I pushed his body out into lake Amaya." He fell silent and Cindana started to cry, tears spilling down her fair face. After a moment of this, Han lu tried to choke out another sentence. "You should just kill me. I… I've done so many awful things. I deserve to die."

Cindana spluttered, ineffectually ramming Han lu's limp form back into the tree trunk. Han lu fought to control his breathing and leaned around to look at the other two. "Blue," he gasped. "Let… let her go." Blue looked back and forth from Han lu to my face and hesitantly withdrew his dagger, letting me breath and sit up. "Go to the South Wall Cornerclub. Ask for Safia Dren. Tell them I sent you. She can help you." Blue swallowed, realizing Han lu was putting his affairs in order.

Han lu turned to me with little resemblance to the calm confident Dunmer I'd met in Suran. His handsome face was covered in moss, bog water, and tears, making me want to cry. "Ajira and I tried to escape Vvardenfell by ship. We got sunk, but Ajira got away. I think she teleported back to the island, but I don't know where. You have to find her. She's no good on her own."

Finally, with a colossal effort, Han lu met Cindana's grief stricken eyes. "I'm ready. Just do it."

Cindana took a few deep breaths, resting her helmet against Han lu's forehead, oblivious to the mud and willed herself to stab. Just two or three inches and she would have revenge. Her hand shook, then fell, the dagger plopping into the mud. Instead, she curled her metal clad fingers into an armored fist and punched him. She bludgeoned him again and again. Han lu slipped from her fingers and fell stunned into the marsh water. She took hold of his collar and continued pummeling him while being racked with powerful sobs of sorrow and rage. Han lu didn't fight back. In his mind, he told himself this was justice. Even when he felt bones and cartilage crack and he gasped, taking some of the reeking water into his lungs, he resisted his uncanny instinct to survive.

Blue and I both crashed into the waist deep bog and each laid hands on Cindana, pulling the screaming woman off of Han lu. Cindana struggled to free herself, blind with rage until I trapped her arms in a tight hug from behind. "Please don't do it Cindy. Please. I need his help." I whispered soothing words and rocked back and forth until Cindana ceased her struggle, breaking down in tears instead. Her pretty gold tinged face was pocked with the filthy water and streaks with tears.

Blue pulled Han lu from the water, barely conscious. His face was nearly unrecognizable. The nose was badly deformed and the edges of Cindana's finger armor had made several U-shaped cuts. Blood mixed with the pond scum in the light of the buildings on fire, but Han lu coughed, sputtered, and started breathing again.

"Hang on," Blue whispered. "We need to leave."

Han lu's chest heaved with each breath. One eye was half clenched shut against the blood and half swollen shut, but he nodded in defeated acceptance. Blue hauled him out of the marsh and found that Han lu had to be propped up to keep his balance.

The fight had caught the attention of a couple villagers who were curiously trying to get a closer look at the group. Blue called to me, "Hey Wood Elf, we need to leave. We can sort out our differences later."

I nodded and spoke to Cindana in a calming voice until the High Elf got a hold of herself and let me guide her out of the bog and back to the path leading outside of town. I took Han lu's supply sack and Blue gave Han lu his spear to lean on as we made our way towards Pelagiad before anyone could be sent after us.


	55. Chapter 55 Cindana Haighfael

**Cindana Highfael. Altmer female**

That night we all gathered around a small campfire by the side of lake Amaya. Blue, the Argonian concentrated on heating something to eat from the supplies, more than happy have an excuse to withdraw from the rest of us. Gildee tended to Han lu's face. He was propped up against a log, unconscious. He'd been awake and aware up until he used a spell to set his own nose back in place. The pain of all the pieces of cartilage jumping back to their original positions had knocked him out cold. I sat away from the group, on the shore of the lake, feeling more helpless than I had since I was a little girl.

Blue couldn't help but feel like he was in over his head. He didn't know teaming up with Han lu would include so much baggage. He felt it was up to him to take charge now, he had a mission after all, but what was he supposed to say to me. 'Sorry Han lu killed your dad, but I need him for a special mission from the Empire?' The poor lizard gritted his teeth and remained silent, never approaching me.

Gildee concentrated on her ministrations, knowing that the conflict between Han lu and I couldn't be resolved with her illusion magic. "Sorry about this Han lu." She reached up and poked his nose, resulting in the Dunmer jerking away from the fresh stab of pain. He looked around in confusion before remembering where he was. He breathed heavily and one eye was swollen shut from the beating he'd taken. He slowed his breathing, taking in the surroundings. Gildee shot him a quick sad smile before silently withdrawing and moving to my side.

I didn't dare turn to look at my father's murderer and he didn't dare to confront me. Blue waited for Han lu to speak thinking that he surely couldn't just let this silence grow forever, right? After several minutes, the Argonian decided Han lu could. He stood to offer the pan of food around, but was met with a small shake of the head from Gildee. He sighed and knelt by Han lu. "You need to handle this. We need to rest so we can keep moving come morning. We're too close to Imperial cities."

Han lu opened his mouth, but no words would come. He worked up his courage and croaked hoarsely, "Why didn't you kill me?" The question hung in the air. I made no response. Han lu cleared his throat and tried again. "Why didn't you kill me? You have every right." I curled my arms tighter around my legs. I didn't have the will to answer him.

Han lu fell quiet again, looking away in thought. "I don't understand it. If I ever had the chance to kill the man responsible for my dad's death, I'd do it in a second." His voice was raised with emotion.

Gildee gave him a hard, warning look, wrapping one arm around my shoulders. When I didn't respond, he sighed in exasperation and raised his voice, almost as if he were angry with me. "What do you expect of me? Do you want me to apologize? How in Tamriel does it benefit you to let me live?"

Finally, I spoke. My tone was soft as a whisper, but had everyone's undivided attention. "How does it benefit me if you die?"

The response took Han lu aback. "Well... you'd have revenge. You'd… Don't you get it? I'm the bad guy."

I took a shuddering breath. "I've killed bad people. They'll fight, they'll lie, they'll beg for mercy, but they never ask for what they deserve. They never make their peace and wait for it. But you did." Han lu glanced at Gildee and Blue who met his one eyed gaze.

"You don't have to be a bad guy Han lu," Gildee tentatively encouraged.

Han lu looked back to me. "Are you really just going to let this go?"

I was quiet for a long stretch. ""Han lu was your name," I asked, still devoid of emotion? He nodded and I continued. "High elves have longer lives than any of the races of Tamriel. Life, especially young life, is the most valuable thing in our culture because it has potential. Potential for good or for evil. When a life spans many centuries it can go through many phases of experience and growth. I didn't kill you because your last thoughts weren't to get back at me. You showed regret and caring and you struck me as someone with great potential for good. You're very young and it would be a shame to destroy the years you have left if they're worth a damn. I don't forgive you and if you prove that you're going to continue a lifestyle that creates more people like me, I'll end you."

I rose on shaky legs and skirted the fire, slowly approaching Han lu. "That makes you my responsibility and with the loss of my father, the only thing I have is time." My hand flashed to his face with the speed of a swordsman and I used one finger to flick his nose. The tiny motion caused the swollen appendage to explode with pain. Han lu gasped, turning away and protecting his face with his shaking hands until the throbbing subsided, by which time, I was stripping off my armor for bed. Blue still sat by the fire with a cooking pan in hand.

"So, are you hungry?" Blue dumbly proffered the pan to Han lu.

The Dunmer still shook from the pain. His face was damp and mucus dripped from the horribly inflamed nose. "I've lost my appetite."

"Of course," Blue muttered, biting his lip. "Not like I worked hard on it or anything."

Han lu curled up on the grass, without bedding and settled in for the night. I think both of us lay awake most of the night. By his breathing, I could tell he wasn't asleep and he knew I wasn't either due to the small sobs I was unable to hold back.

In the morning, Blue reheated the food from the night before and we all ate. I remained uncomfortably silent and it was left to Blue to start the conversation. He tentatively glanced up at Han lu. "So, um, how do these two fit into our plans?"

Gildee looked up at Han lu. "We're going to look for Ajira, right?"

Han lu sighed, carefully swallowing to avoid jostling his broken nose. "I can't yet. My mother is here on Vvardenfell and the Empire is trying to find her. I have to get to her before they do."

Gildee narrowed her gaze. "And what will you do when you find her?" I rested a hard gaze on Han lu.

The Dunmer stood tall. "I'm going to protect her. For all I know, she may be completely safe and I can go back to finding Ajira and concentrate on repaying my debt to Blue."

"Okay," Gildee chimed cheerily. "I'll come with you."

"You don't have to do that Gildee."

She slung her rucksack over her shoulders. "Nope, but Ajira isn't my only friend." She shouldered Han lu playfully. "Besides, Ajira is more resourceful than you think. She's probably found a new place to set up shop. Where are we going?"

"To Tel Vos."

"Then we should take a ship from Vivec," Gildee suggested. "That would be the fastest way."

"Can't take a ship," Han lu backpedalled. Blue and I are kind of fugitives with the Empire right now and that includes the navy. I planned on going through the ashlands." He hesitantly started forward down the path, withdrawing a stolen map from among his other supplies.

Gildee giggled, prancing on ahead. "No worries, I know the ashlands like the back of my hand." The others started to follow her, but glanced back at me. I was frozen in place. Instead of forming a response, I cast a glance out at the lake, pursing my lips to silence a shudder.

Han lu swallowed past a lump in his throat. I wondered, was this close to the place he'd dumped the body? No doubt it was just a skeleton on the lakebed now. As Gildee laid a comforting hand on my shoulder, I wished I could read his thoughts. At my glance, he shifted uncomfortably and I knew he'd rather be anywhere but in my presence. One dark glance showed him that he would never be free of me. Ever.

 **Han lu Urshar. Dunmer male.**

I'd never felt so low in my life and I didn't understand it. I'd done worse than murder an innocent man for research notes, but I'd never had to stare down a grieving daughter. Princess Lunea had been different. Her father had survived and I still didn't feel very guilty for that crime. He was a politician and in my mind, he had it coming. Kind of. Maybe.

Gildee took the lead with Blue walking next to her, already using his winning personality to make friends. I stayed close behind him as if his presence could cancel out Cindana's own. Cindana insisted on taking the rear, where I could feel her accusing eyes boring into my back like flesh eating maggots.

We quickly passed the mountains separating the ashlands from the fields of Kummu above lake Amaya and the air became dryer by increments. Without the damp, the cold wasn't nearly as biting.

To escape my own dreary thoughts, I listened to Blue chat with Gildee who had her bow at the ready and was scanning our surroundings attentively. "How long will it take to cross the Ashlands?"

"Oh that depends. If we run into an ash storm, that will slow us down. We won't be going near any Daedric ruins either. You have to give those places a wide berth on account of monsters and cultists. However, sometimes you cross paths with tribal Orcs, Ashlander hunting parties, ash zombies and ash vampires, real vampires, and corprus monsters. All of which would slow us down varying amounts. Best case scenario, less than two days."

Blue looked toward the heavens, "I find it amusing that you say all that without losing your chipper tone. Is that all we may have to deal with," he added with a bit of sarcasm?

"Oh it's not so bad once you learn how to deal with it. Most things can be shot with a bow at a distance. If we run into Orcs, we drop our supplies and run. If we run into Ashlanders, don't look them in the eyes and we give them a gift they'll be impressed with. Something valuable, like your Imperial armor."

Blue huffed. "But I might need this armor!"

Gildee laughed. "Of course, that's why they'll think it's a good gift and they'll let us pass."

I thanked Azura that the silence was being broken. It was odd to see Blue and Gildee chatting so easily after Blue had held her at knife point only the night before. It was almost like they were old friends.

"Hey, Han lu," Gildee called, keeping her eyes forward. "You should ready your bow in case we run into anything unfriendly."

Blue offered to hold my spear and I took my stolen short bow in hand, knocking a slightly warped arrow.

Gildee looked at me incredulously. "Where's your good Orcish bow?"

"Oh. I lost it."

"After all the fuss you made about it in Suran?"

"What happened in Suran," Blue asked?

Gildee proceeded to tell the story in detail, making me feel embarrassed and causing Blue to laugh at my shenanigans. Despite being the brunt of each joke, I found I didn't mind. When Gildee explained how I'd chased and tossed the bow thief into the river, she glanced back at me, smiling at the memory.

I started to wonder if she thought of me as a friend. She seemed to enjoy taking people out of their comfort zone, but never in a mean spirited way. It kind of reminded me of how Fargoth and Bargrum constantly gave each other grief despite being close friends. Could I have a relationship like that?

I turned to look at Blue. He was easy to talk to like Ajira. Unlike her, he had this infectious confidence which he applied to his humor. I had to admit, I genuinely enjoyed having him around. I looked forward to working with him if I could just avoid abusing him like I had Ajira.

My mind turned to Cindana, who I was more likely to be spending my time with in the future. Having someone who wanted me dead, but wouldn't kill me so close made my skin crawl. Friendship was far out of the question with her. I couldn't understand what motivated her, or what she expected of me. Did she plan on acting like a mother with a problem child? The throbbing of my nose reminded me that she could do it. How would she provide her living if she was just following me? Whatever the answer, I knew I couldn't address it right now. I had no right to ask anything of the Altmer and for the time being, she was letting me do what I needed to do.

Blue told a story about his foster mother, pulling me again from my train of thought. "She was a house slave, working in the kitchens and all my life, she always complained about how hard the soap was on her hands. Well one day, she met an alchemist who was visiting the plantation and the man seemed like a kind sort, so mother dared to ask him if there was a way she could make soap that wouldn't leave her scales so dry and raw. Well, the Imperial said, 'Of course. Boil in some crushed willow anther with the lye and not only will it leave your hands soft and soothed, but the suds will smell nice too.' He even gave her an old alembic to do it in."

"Well she was so excited, the very next day she gathered up some willow anther down by the river and crushed it up in a mortar. She hid the alembic under one of the kitchen counters with a candle underneath so she could monitor it while she worked. Well that mix gave off a real fine aroma until the whole kitchen smelled like anther. Well, if you know anything about brewing, some brewers use anther to give their drinks a fruity smell. So when one of the retainers walked in the kitchen, he looked until he found the alembic and assumed it was a still. Thinking my momma was making a batch of home brewed sujama, he decided to teach the slaves a lesson. He poured himself a glass and nobody said anything as he took a deep drink of warm soap."

Gildee threw her head back in laughter. Behind us, I even heard Cindana chuckle. I dared to peek back for the first time today and saw no anger in her face. Her smile was sad and lingered only a moment before she saw me looking. Her helmet was off, revealing eyes that were tired from tears and lack of sleep. She met my gaze blank faced for a moment before pretending to find something in the distance that was interesting. I let my gaze linger a moment more, realizing that in the past hours, I had painted a false picture in my head. "She wasn't the vengeful harpy I'd imagined looking for a reason to stab me in the back. She was tall, probably six feet and although her shoulders and head were slumped at the moment, her posture spoke of a woman who carried herself with dignity. She moved comfortably in her armor, which was made from moonstone. The metal, I knew had a strength comparable to steel, but weighed significantly less. It was popular with professional fighters who had to stay light, such as scouts or light cavalry, but it was just expensive enough to turn most buyers to another option. I knew from experience she was no slouch with that sword and shield and although it was hard to tell, I was willing to bet she was an able spellcaster.

I took relief in the absence of her furious gaze and felt it was much less likely she'd stab me in the back. I wondered what was in her past that made her so skilled in fighting. Had she been a soldier or bodyguard? Maybe she was once like me and had turned over a new leaf, which might explain how she could stand to show me mercy.

As the laughter settled, Gildee launched into a story about when her aunt back in Valenwood mistook a monkey for her husband late at night. It made me want to share something from my own past. I searched my memory to try and think of something. My parents were never silly, I realized. Romantic for sure, but they never did anything foolish or comedic. Fargoth and Bargrum were always teasing each other back and forth.

My mind turned to when Ajira and I stole the rowboat from the stronghold east of here. I opened my mouth to talk about how I'd teased her by rocking the boat, but stopped myself, remembering I'd nearly gotten her killed. Besides, Ajira might have already told Gildee about it the night I met the girl. I ended up hardly saying a word all day.

The only interruptions were two or three times Gildee broke the conversation, raising her bow to strike a nearby cliff racer out of the sky. She would break from the group, telling us to keep walking. She soon would catch up with a few strips of meat for the supplies which she intended to roast that evening. As the sun dipped below the tops of the hill beside the ravine we were traveling in, Gildee turned to all of us, walking backwards.

"We have a decision up ahead. We can take a right turn at the end of this gorge and make camp in an hour or two with someone left on watch at night, or we can go left for about twenty minutes and rent rooms at the hostel in Ghostgate."

My attention was caught. "We're near the Ghostgate?" Gildee nodded. "As much as I'd like to see the Ghostgate, I can't justify losing an hour or two travel time."

Blue snorted. "To Oblivion with that. I want to sleep in a bed."

"Yay!" Gildee cheered. She looped her arm into Blue's and pulled him ahead on the path, skipping while Blue stumbled, trying to match her rhythm.

I raised a hand after them, as if to get their attention, but they were already out of earshot. Cindana walked up beside me. "Come on. We'll make better time if we're better rested."

She spoke in a deadpan, but she didn't talk down to me or… anything. I bit my tongue and bowed my head following along obediently. It wasn't long before the Ghost fence came into view. First I noticed the translucent wall of the bright blue forcefield. It seemed to tower over the surrounding landscape, rising and falling with the ridges and valleys formed by the volcano located within. As I got closer, I realized there were stone pillars at twenty to thirty foot intervals and wooden walkways spanning between. At the top, I could see golden armored Ordinators patrolling with bows, watching both inside and outside the Ghost fence.

Cindana broke me out of my stupor. "This is one of the reasons my father and I came here. His research involved finding new ways to harvest magic energy from the Oblivion realm. It must take an enormous amount of magic to keep all this together. I have to wonder where the Tribunal get their power."

I shook my head. "I can't even imagine it." I was intimately familiar with magical wards. Just summoning a simple one into existence and maintaining it would drain an average spellcasters magicka in under a minute. This one spanned miles and had been maintained for a thousand years.

She turned to look at me. "Imagine all the good this barrier has done. Just think about what might have happened if the Tribunal had been selfish with their powers."

Cindana walked ahead after the others, leaving me with that heavy thought. I revisited the memory of Dagoth Ur's minions saving me from the Council Club goons. The two robed figures with animal trunks covering their faces. The giant of what looked like a Dark Elf. I shivered at the powerful magics they had wielded. As if I had spoken aloud, my vision was drawn to a tall being on the other side of the Ghostfence. He seemed to stare at me, although I couldn't quite tell because of the blurring the barrier caused.

A shiver ran up my spine and out to all my limbs. It spurred me to catch up with Cindana. I'd rather bear her presence than be alone here.


	56. Chapter 56 Lesson of Ghostgate

**Han lu Urshar.**

The building was made from the adobe that was so popular in this land. The Ghostgate was guarded by two Ordinators out front. On each side, there was a domed section much like the Telvanni wizards tower I'd visited with Ajira, but shorter and in between them was a tall thin tower with a portcullis at ground level, protecting a tunnel that served as the only entrance or exit for the Ghostgate. Taking a peek at the long stretch of tunnel under the building gave Han lu chills.

I followed Gildee and the others into the right side tower. Despite the Ordinators usual blank faced masks staring at me, I met the guards eye slits with a smile. Scary or not, the Ordinators were one of the few authorities I wasn't in trouble with. Not yet. The right section of the Ghostgate held a tavern with simple food and drink available for purchase and had a hostel on the second floor loft lined with simple beds for rent. The place was mostly run by priests of the tribunal, but thankfully they segregated the temple section of the place to the left tower's lower floor, allowing for irreverent chatter in the tavern part of the hostel.

The left sections loft was reserved for the priests and Ordinators quarters. In the tavern, weary travelers and off duty, unarmored Ordinators mixed freely. Mostly, the occupants were made up of Dark elves and my companions stuck out like a sore thumb. Some of the Ordinators looked upon them disapprovingly, but said nothing disparaging loud enough to hear. The priests and priestesses, however, looked upon us kindly and humbly.

Gildee went straight to the bar stools and addressed the kindly Dunmer priestess behind the counter. "What's on the menu Muthsera?"

"We have a pot of porridge keeping warm on the fire and casks of Shein to warm your belly," the priestess answered with a kind smile.

"We'll take four," Gildee anticipated.

"Three," Cindana corrected. "I'll join you shortly." The Altmer abruptly departed to the left side of the building, to the temple area. As she left, Blue and Gildee looked expectantly at me.

"Um, what?" They both averted their gazes, hoping to avoid the awkwardness of speaking their minds. I looked back and forth between them and the archway leading to the shrine. It did seem odd that Cindana would go to a Tribunal shrine. With the other two avoiding my gaze, I shuffled after Cindana. The stairs to the shrine apparently arched over the tunnel outside that allowed access beyond the Ghostfence. There was a door separating the shrine and I pulled it slowly open, peeking inside. The room was much like the Balmora Temple, a round room with Obelisks depicting stylized carved images of the saints of the Tribunal. Cindana stood in front of one, head bowed in reverance, her golden hair swept to one side.

I stood on the stone ramp, watching as she moved from obelisk to obelisk. She had to walk around a young Priest who lay prostrated on a straw mat before one of the shrines, not wishing to disturb his whispered prayer. The flickering candles seemed to make her hair and skin glow as if her presence illuminated the room. As she reached the halfway point in the room, she noticed me in the stairwell where I watched. I suddenly didn't know what to do, fumbling nervously with my hands until I finally clasped them in front of me.

She continued her tour of the room, seeming a natural addition. She could have been a statue and not looked out of place. Feeling the sudden urge to join her, I silently slid to her side. I looked down to the obelisk, reading the writing. 'St. Meris the Peacekeeper.' The carving depicted a humble looking Dunmer woman in flowing robes.

Cindana leaned to my ear, whispering so no others would be disturbed. "How can you more effectively promote peace, by healing the righteous, or striking down the wicked?"

I swallowed past a lump in my throat. "I wouldn't know anything about making peace," I admitted.

The silence didn't last long, as Cindana pressed. "What is your desire in life Han lu? If you had no enemies conspiring against you, what would you do?"

I glanced around, looking for ideas. In my past, I would have planned on eventually making more enemies eventually. A future without being on the run seemed so unlikely, I'd never given it consideration before. Thinking of my skill set, I had to contain my sarcasm. "What would you have me do? Shall I become a priest and dedicate my life to prayer and gathering alms for the poor?" I hoped her response would give me a better idea of her intentions.

"Do you think that is how you can best serve the people around you?"

I raised a hand to rub at my tired, ash rimmed eyes and decided to speak my mind. "I don't understand your motivation. Most of the people I meet are hardly Saints themselves. When I… did the job for Ranis, I didn't enjoy it. In fact, it was the first time killing really started to bother me. I no longer wish to exploit strangers to benefit myself, but it's still a very long leap to dedicating my life to the benefit of others. Who's to say whether anyone is deserving of those efforts or at least, more deserving than me?"

Cindana took a long moment before answering, continuing to circle the room to the next obelisk. "My father would have been king of the Summerset Isles." I narrowed my gaze and held my tongue, thinking I must have misheard. She let the statement hang in the air.

"Why wasn't he," came my inevitable question?

"Because my grandfather's constant struggle for power and influence only caused his son heartache. By the time my grandfather died, Itermerel had no desire for the throne and vowed a life of selflessness, hoping that he could find the joy his father never found by doing what his father had never done. I'm not even his true daughter. I was an orphan. He found me begging on the docks of some filthy port city. With no thought of reward, he took me in, raised me, and kept me by his side in his travels. He taught me spellcraft and swordsmanship. Most of all, he taught me his unique ideals." She paused, lip quivering. "I don't remember a time without him. I don't remember what life was like without his guidance, but the more I watched the people around us, the more I realized that only the greedy are dissatisfied, the selfish never have enough to make them happy, and the vengeful…" She paused, working through a lump in her throat. "The vengeful never find peace." Her voice cracked with restrained emotion, prompting some embarrassing wetness to my own eyes.

She turned to face me, intimately close. Stone faced. "Are you happy Han lu?"

I took a moment for self reflection. As a child, I loved pleasing my parents. That meant doing well in the tasks they assigned me. Was that happiness? I decided it wasn't quite the same, thinking of my short time with Ajira. I'd been happy around her. There wasn't a constant pressure impress her. While my parents had expected me to live up to their lifestyle, forgoing close friendships and taking advantage of people at my father's discretion, Ajira had cautiously accepted that I was different from her. Her friendship had never hinged on how it benefited her. It only ended when I alienated her trust.

"I have been on occasion," came my reply. The more I thought about it, the more Cindana's theory spoke to me as truth. Just in the other room, Gildee sat and no doubt joked and made conversation with Blue and maybe even the Ordinators without any thought for personal gain. "Is it really that simple? Just make the people around you happy and you become happy?"

Cindana bowed her head. "By the moral standards most people hold, I could have killed you. If what my father taught is true, then it would have brought me no peace. But to live long enough to find out you're actually a good person would be a fair trade in lieu of vengeance. That," she paused, choking up. A few brave tears defied her efforts to stay composed and her voice rose in pitch with emotion. "That would bring me great peace." I felt a weight settle on my shoulders as I comprehended her mindset. The old me would have staunchly believed that I owed Cindana nothing, but now, I felt a new sense of responsibility, of duty. It was similar to the need I felt to protect Ajira, but what Cindana needed from me wasn't nearly so straight forward. I couldn't provide her with what she wanted of me and allow my actions to continue to be morally ambiguous. I knew it would be difficult, but the important thing was that I had a desire to do it. She gave me time to contemplate her words, seeming to understand that she had gotten through to me. After an appropriate interval, she said, "Han lu, I still bear the pain of my fathers passing. So if you will, I'd like some time alone."

I burned with shame, despite the manner in which Cindana maintained her disciplined humility in anguish. There was no sign of the rage she'd had before. Realizing she may have come here simply to mourn in peace, I moved to leave, but hesitated, looking back to the obelisk for St. Meris the Peacemaker. Taking her advice to heart, I took a few coins from what I'd looted from the warehouse and laid them in the silver bowl next to two burning sticks of incense. I whispered, "If you have any influence left in this world, I pray, grant me your wisdom."

I felt the touch of magic acting upon me, though I couldn't tell if it was from the obelisk or some other source, neither could I tell what it did. Without questioning, I retreated back to the tavern.

Of course Gildee had livened up the place by then. Unlike in Suran, there was no table dancing as the priests might have frowned upon it, but she held a distinct woodwind instrument to her lips and played a lively tune, while seated atop the bar counter with her legs swinging freely. My initial instinct was to avoid the revelry and keep to myself as I'd always done, but after a few steps towards the stairs leading to the hostel, I paused. Instead, I made my way back to the bar and sat next to Blue who was bobbing his head and tapping his foot happily to the rhythm.

One of the priests went to fetch his lute and accompanied the Wood elf. The music broke the cultural barriers that had separated us from the natives and everyone listened appreciatively, even the most hardy and scarred Ordinators.

I separated myself from my past and tried to act like someone else. Someone willing to socialize with nothing to gain. Someone trusting enough to let his guard down. Someone good enough… to be happy.


	57. Chapter 57 Tel Vos

**Han lu Urshar**

As I walked down a hall towards a figure with a Golden mask, I felt differently than the last time I'd dreamed of Dagoth Ur. Lining the sides of the hall were gray skinned beings with empty eye sockets. The demon king no doubt expected to be the point of my attention when he'd arranged this vision, but my talk with Cindana was still fresh in my mind. Instead of giving my focus to the obvious authority figure, my wandering mind wondered who the bystanders were.

"You are already so near. Come young warrior. I'll welcome you to my hearth."

I ignored the imposing being and turned to my left to face the eyeless, decrepit, miserable gray beings. One hung his mouth open impossibly wide, but made no sound, as if frozen in a violent, silent scream. I tentatively stepped up to him, reached up and wrapped my arms around the cold naked shoulders of the being. It paused and hesitantly laid its head on my shoulder as if for comfort.

Dagoth observed in confusion as I disregarded him in preference to a faceless nameless lost soul with no apparent significance. I turned to face Dagoth and whispered, "Are you happy?"

The figure I hugged nudged me away. The dream world fell away and I was surprised to find a fully armored Ordinator, keeping me at a distance with a hand on my chest.

"Are you always this friendly with strangers?"

With a start, I realized I was no longer in the long dark hall, but rather, standing in front of the Ghostgate, next to the portcullis. "What just happened? I must have been dreaming. How did I get here?"

The other Ordinator laughed, losing the usual stolid Ordinator demeanor and doubling over. "Oh by Almsivi, this outlander mistook your graceful feminine form for his dream girl Laskar," he said to his partner. He fell forward weakly, leaning on his spear to stay upright while the fits of laughter racked his body. "Come on, you wouldn't want to disappoint the poor lad. Give him a fat kiss." The Dunmer fell to his knee pads and hung from his grip on the spear, completely overcome by the outrageousness of the situation.

Laskar gave me a rough shove and barked disapprovingly. "Get back to bed you mangy traveler. If I catch you sleepwalking again, I'll tie you to the bedpost."

"Oh that would make for an even more interesting dream," his companion razzed. Laskar kicked some loose dirt at his partners helmeted face. I eagerly returned to the hostel without argument, thoroughly embarrassed by the whole incident.

The next morning, my companions and I took the time to have a hot breakfast and headed out. Gildee led us east and north along the perimeter of the Ghostfence with a short detour south, into another foyoda until the valley connected with another which ran north. Gildee was optimistic that we'd avoid any serious trouble, but then the wind picked up.

"Ash storm!" She warned as a wall of dust and ash approached from up the valley. She grabbed Blue's hand and ordered us to make a chain. Cindana took Blue's other hand and mine. Gildee pulled a piece of cloth up from around her neck that she always wore due to her regular excursions into the ashlands. Blue and I pulled out our stolen scarves, but realized Cindana hadn't prepared for this.

Before the wall of flying silt hit us, I wrapped my scarf over Cindana's face and tried to pull my shirt up over my nose. The storm hit and the world disappeared from view. Our progress slowed to a crawl as Gildee pressed forward with limited vision. The best the rest of us could do was hold on to each other. I had trouble holding my shirt over my face and keeping a grip on my spear at the same time. Eventually, I had to let go of Cindana's hand to adjust the makeshift filter, but when I reached out to find her again, my hand passed through empty air. I stumbled forward waving my arm and hoping to brush against her, but she was gone. I couldn't see through my shirt or open my eyes at all. To make things worse, the howl of the storm drowned out any shout I could muster.

I did the only thing I could think to do. I found the canyon wall and crawled alongside it. With no sense of time or progress, I felt completely alone and wondered how long the storm would last. I had the water bag on my shoulder and food if I could manage to eat it in the storm. A shiver ran up my spine at the thought of chewing on food covered in the gritty earth.

I pressed forward until my mind started playing tricks on me. I thought I heard voices in the storm. I used the shaft of the spear to feel around, certain that one of Dagoth's ash slaves would attack me when I least expected it. The storm wore me down, draining my energy, the sporadic coughing from what ash got into my mouth made it painful to breath. I was surprised to feel a hand haul me by my cuirass up over an animals saddle. I recoiled in surprise, but decided to let myself be packed like a hunter's kill. It was far from comfortable, but I was happy to yield my journey to this riders navigational expertise.

Some time later, the winds died down and I was able to make out the beginnings of plant life again. The rider shoved me off roughly, leaving me in a heap on my back. "You can spare my mount from here outlander. The grazelands are this way," said a male Dunmer voice. The rider took off at a trot, leaving me to scramble after him now that the storm was mostly behind us. The rider was dressed from head to toe in a cream white chitin plated armor on a hide frame. His helmet had only slits across the eyes that I wished I could examine closer, as they apparently allowed sight through the storm.

As I hurried to catch up to the strange animal, I realized I'd never seen one before. It was a lizard with tan orange scales, two sturdy legs with clawed feet, and a round bulbous head. It had small eyes and a large mouth which seemed permanently stuck in a goofy smile. It turned to look at me as I leveled with the rider, panting not unlike a dog. It stretched its neck out and a long tongue extended past its teeth, trying to taste my face until its rider pulled him back.

"What is that creature," I asked?

"This is my guar. His name is Uriel."

I snorted. "Uriel? You realize that's the Emperor's name, don't you?"

The rider turned his helmet to look down on me. "A fitting name for such a regal animal, don't you think?"

I glanced at the guar as it extended its tongue casually into its own nostril. "Is that a joke?"

The rider kept riding, seeming to ignore me. I got the feeling he was hiding a grin under that helmet. Wordlessly, he snapped at his reins and he left me unable to keep up with the guars pace.

I stopped short as the valley walls ended, opening up into a vast green grassland. I spotted my companions ahead, debating on what to do. The rider drew their attention and they noticed me at the mouth of the ashlands, running to meet me.

"I thought you'd be lost till the storm cleared," Gildee confessed, walking up and brushing off my ash covered clothes.

"So did I," I admitted, trying to pick the bits of grit from the corners of my eyes. "That rider found me though. I think his helmet allows him to see through the storm."

Gildee nodded. "The ashlanders make helmets from mudcrab chitin. The way they boil the shell makes it malleable and it grows in layers which they can peel off and form into a certain shape and thickness. Then it drys into that shape and grows hard again. They make a multi spaced chamber with eye slits to minimize the wind that can get through. The storm still is blinding, but it lets them keep their eyes open. I convinced a family to show me once."

I looked after the rider who was headed to a small group of tents a mile or two distant. "That's the Zainab tribe," Gildee explained. "They aren't unfriendly, but they don't care for outsiders in their territory."

At Gildee's suggestion, we went on the move. This part of Vvardenfell seemed vibrant and healthy, the grass growing taller the further we got from the Ashlands. A constant breeze made the land sway, making it look like a rolling sea of grass. On our trek, a family of deer could be seen in the distance, if only their heads sticking out over the plant life. I felt sure a large number of other animals lived here too, hidden by the growth. Blue licked his chops. "I wouldn't mind bagging a buck."

In late afternoon, Gildee beckoned from ahead. "I can see Tel Vos. We'll be there before sundown."

At the crest of the hill, you could see the Telvanni castle jutting from the top of a hill, overlooking the town of Vos on the coast to the east. Cindana looked to me. "It's probably time to talk tactics. What kind of threat are we facing?"

I bit my lip. "I can't be sure. The thing is, from what I gathered the Blades don't know where my mother is exactly. They just have intel that my grandfather is hiding her. No doubt, the Blades will have agents all over here looking for me. Probably Blue too."

Cindana stared at the tower in thought. "Perhaps I can contact your grandfather for you. Give him a message."

I grimaced. "That would be a problem. See, I've never actually met him." This drew a questioning glance from Cindana, being the only one out of the loop. "It's a long story. The bottom line is, I have to meet him in person to convince him the Empire is after my mother."

"And why are they after her," came the inevitable question?

"Once again, long story. The Empire wants to use her to blackmail me into working for them."

Cindana conceded with a sigh, giving up on requesting more details. "Very well. Blue and Gildee should wait outside town while you and I try to gain entry to the castle."

I bristled silently at the idea of being alone with Cindana. "Why you?"

Cindana's emotionless guise dropped and for a single moment, reflected some of the venom she'd been suppressing. "Because I don't trust you. As I said, I spared your life and therefore, your actions are partly my responsibility. I wasn't lying when I said I'd kill you. You live by my standards now and I'll see them upheld."

"Now wait a minute." Blue argued. "It'll be dark soon. Are you saying we have to camp outside while you two get to snuggle up in a nice warm castle? I'm sure there's a perfectly good inn where we could hunker down."

I shook my head. "Whatever happens, we can't risk staying here. As soon as I've assured my mothers safety, we need to go somewhere with fewer Imperial agents."

Blue fell into a brooding silence.

"We'll find a place where we can watch the castle entrance," Gildee assured. "If you need us, wave your arms above your head where you are visible."

With the plan in place, our group split in two. I pulled my hood to cover my features as Cindana and I made our way to Tel Vos. The entrance consisted of three archways with huge wooden doors. The middle door remained open with two guards in Imperial armor, one guard being human and the other a Dunmer.

"What's your business here?" They asked, clearly bored.

"We have urgent news for Master Aryon," I explained, hiding my face from the Imperial as much as possible by facing the Dunmer guard instead.

The Dunmer grunted. "Master Aryon will see the public, even at this hour, but know that if he is disturbed outside normal business hours, you will suffer the displeasure of a wizard. You'd better ask yourself, is your message that urgent," he questioned, giving me the chance to rethink and wait until the next day.

"It is," I pressed, intrigued at my grandfather's open door policy. I suppose his subjects knew better than to waste a wizard's time needlessly. The guards beckoned us inside the courtyard to the main entrance. At ground level, the building was an average, grey stone Imperial fortress. Higher up, the Telvanni tower could be seen rising from the formerly ruined sections.

Another guard led us into what almost seemed a throne room, but far less formal. A long table occupied the middle with an ornate chair at the head, surely reserved for the Master. There was a verandah surrounding the room from above where a number of guards took up position with bows to guard their liege.

"Wait here," the guard ordered, leaving us in the room while he went to get Master Aryon. "And keep your weapons sheathed."

I left my spear leaning against a stone column and stood quietly next to Cindana who examined the room with interest. Eventually, the shuffle of shoes signaled people coming from a staircase at the back of the room. Two guards led a Dunmer in blue, decorative wizard robes. His features were thin and hard as if from daily hard labor, unlike any wizard I'd ever met. His angular cheeks led to a strong chin. Master Aryon was taller than me, almost six feet. His hair was flat black and cut simply and pragmatically. Despite being quite old, his stature would have compared to a human in his late thirties or forties.

"I hope this is something important," his deep voice rumbled, not in annoyance, but perfectly professional.

"I promise it is." I assured, wary of the two Imperial guards among the others. They were mostly Dunmer, but with an exception or two. "It is concerning your family Master Ayron." Throwing back my hood, I proclaimed, "I'm your grandson, Han lu."

None of the guards spoke or murmured, but their discipline didn't stop them from sharing interested glances. Master Aryon himself settled his hard gaze upon my face, not moving from his spot. After a long moment, he motioned to one of the archers on the verandah. The guard removed his helmet, leaning over the rail to look at me. He exclaimed, wide eyed, "Oh by the nine!" I recognized the Wood Elf.

"Fargoth!" I croaked, my throat swelling with emotion. The Wood Elf was too impatient to use the stairs, instead opting to grab a long banner and slide down it. I met him as his boots hit the floor and we embraced.

"Dear boy, what happened to your face?" I waved the question off and Fargoth choked. "The Emperor announced that he'd had you executed. It broke our hearts. We couldn't even figure out what they'd done with the remains." Fargoth withdrew, eyes overflowing with tears, grasping me by the shoulders. "But look at you. You found us."

Our attention was drawn away by Master Aryon who cooly ordered the guards away. Most turned away obediently, but one of the close bodyguards, an Imperial in legion armor, leaned in to ask, "Are you sure Master? Shouldn't I remain by your side?"

"This is a family matter Turedas. Please check on the wall guards. I want Tel Vos closed to visitors until further notice."

Reluctantly, the Imperial saluted, clapping his boots together. "Yes sir." He glanced at the newcomers, knowing his talk with the Blades agent had something to do with this. He took his leave, having been given a signal by the Blades, should this very thing happen. His orders to check the wall guard would allow him to signal an agent in town with a lantern from a specific window.

In the meeting room, Master Aryon watched the reunion stone faced, far enough to appear aloof. He waited for Fargoth to bring me forward.

"Master Aryon, this really is him," said Fargoth, eyes puffy from joy.

"This brings a number of questions to mind," the wizard said coldly, not sharing in the happy occasion. "The most serious of which is how you've avoided the empire. I worry they will follow you here."

I noticed my grandfather's manner and unconsciously stood straighter myself, acting more formal. "That is why I've come muthsera. I've been under the watch of the Blades since they took me away from the Imperial prison. I recently intercepted intelligence that you are sheltering my mother and that they were gathering agents here in Tel Vos to find her."

Master Aryon's eyes widened. "Could they know where she is," he enquired, all but admitting it was true?

"I don't know. I found out three days ago and had to get here through the ashlands to avoid capture."

Aryon leaned against a chair, staring at the floor and thinking to himself. "We have contingencies for this. She is in hiding. Fargoth. I need you to go to her. She has potions to transport herself to another safe location. You'll go with her and go into hiding until I send someone for you." He beckoned the Wood Elf close. "If they are with me, I'll give them a code phrase." The wizard whispered a secret word in the Wood Elf's ear. Fargoth nodded, confirming he'd heard it.

I moved to follow Fargoth out of the castle, but Master Aryon ordered, "Stay where you are!"

I protested, "It's my mother, I should be with her."

Grandfather gave me a glare that could cut a tree in half and considering his position, that was entirely plausible. "Your presence would only endanger her further. She will be safer far from you. Not to mention, the Blades surely saw you come here. While you crossed the ashlands, they would have arrived here by boat yesterday or even earlier. You won't be safe from them unless you remain here under the protection of House Telvanni by my authority. The Blades may try to have you arrested, but they will think twice before offending a Great House."

The wizard took his seat at the head of the meeting table and gestured for Cindana and I to sit also. I balled my fists, "I can't sit idly by while mother is in danger."

"No?" Master Aryon voiced in a superior tone. "I suppose you must do as your father and meddle in delicate affairs until it gets you beheaded. You are alive and hearing that news will bring Virisa more joy than she's had since she arrived here. The best thing you can do for her at this moment is stay alive so you can be reunited once it's safe."

I fell silent, angry at the insult to my father Adairan. However, I knew it was true. Logic won out and I broodingly obeyed my grandfather.

"I hope you haven't forgotten your manners boy." At my confused look, Aryon nodded toward Cindana who sat straight backed and graceful, wide watchful eyes showing her discomfort with the secrets she'd been hearing.

"Oh, this is Cindana. She's a spellsword in my company."

"And how did you meet this elegant young lady?" Aryon asked, finally betraying a hint of humanity with a knowing grin, no doubt expecting we were in a relationship.

Before I could answer, Cindana did so for me. "Han lu slew my father for a mercenary contract."

I shrunk in my seat as Master Aryon lost his semblance of a teasing grin and exchanged it for a look of uncomfortable confusion. "Oh. How... unfortunate. You have my condolences of course." He curiously stared at Cindana. "It would appear… that you've worked out your differences."

Cindana deadpanned. "He's working on it."

"Very well," Aryon muttered, eager to change the subject. "Han lu, I'd like you to tell me what has happened to you since prison. You are family and I'm willing to protect you, but if I am to negotiate with the Blades for your life, I must know what they want with you."

I looked to Cindana. "You may not want to hear this. These are Blade secrets. If you hear them, it may make you a target."

Cindana still wore her deadpan expression, empty of feeling. " Whatever happens, I'm going to see that you take the right side."

This drew a questioning look from Aryon, but I moved on. "The Emperor thinks I may fulfill an ancient prophecy. The Blades are trying to get me to follow the path of the Nerevarine."

Master Aryon slumped in his chair, letting his head lean back so he could groan loudly into the air. "You must be joking. Please tell me you're joking."

I hesitated at the negative reaction. "No, the reason they're looking for Virisa is to blackmail me into figuring out the prophecy."

"By the grace of Almsivi," the wizard moaned. "The Empire never ceases it's meddling."

Cindana cleared her throat. "What is this prophecy?"

Aryon answered with a longsuffering tone, "The Ashlanders have these foolish ideas that the ancient war hero, Indoril Nerevar will be reborn and lead the inhabitants of Vvardenfell. It's the hopefull ramblings of fools too stuck in their own backwater traditions to do anything to secure their own futures. They dwell in tents, claiming they are ostracized by the Temple and the Great Houses, but instead of working hard to establish towns, crops, and wells to obtain prosperity, they await this ancient hero to take over the lands that are already settled on their behalf. Different versions of the prophecies say he will do different things. Some say he'll drive the Empire from Morrowind. Some say he'll destroy Dagoth Ur. Some say he'll join Dagoth Ur and restore the ancient kingdom that Morrowind was thousands of years ago. Despite the fact that no two Nerevarine cultists seem to agree on what the Nerevarine will be reincarnated for, somehow the Emperor thinks it's a good idea to get the ashlanders and daedra worshippers all worked up. Only a human could lend his fortunes and men to such folly."

"I still don't understand," Cindana nagged. "What's so bad about following an old legend?"

Aryon pinched the bridge of his nose as he answered. "The Nerevarine prophecies are counted as blasphemy among the Temple and anyone who pursues the title of Nerevarine will be seen as a power grabber by the Great Houses. Our politics aren't kind and anyone who lays claim to the title will fall under terrible scrutiny and merciless personal attacks. Even if you met the requirements of the prophecies perfectly, the councils of the different houses will see you as a threat to their authority. That's sure to bring down slander, assassins, and anything else the counselors can do to stand in your way."

Cindana was quiet for a moment before meaningfully meeting my gaze. "Sounds like a selfless path to me." I opened my mouth to speak, but couldn't decide on an appropriate response. Things were happening far too quickly for my tastes.

Aryon looked at her curiously, looking tired just from the thought of pursuing the Nerevarine prophecy. He finally leaned over the table. "Look Han lu. We never knew each other. Your father convinced Virisa to take you and run away with him to Cyrodiil to make his fortune. I was… angry at the time. I never did approve of him, or of their marriage and I said things to them I wish I could take back now, no matter how much they've been proven right. The fact is, you are my grandson. Now I may not know the full extent of what you've gotten yourself into, but I wish… I wish to be of help. However I can. Just do me one favor."

I met his eyes, less formally now that Aryon was actively trying to warm up to me. "What is that?"

"Be mindful of your family and be careful what you drag us into."

The conversation was interrupted by Aryon's bodyguard, Turedas Talanian, barging in the front door. "Master Aryon, pardon the intrusion. There are two Imperial navy ships in the harbor. They've deployed men at the lighthouse."

Aryon stood abruptly and strode impatiently to the castle courtyard. "Have they taken anyone from the lighthouse?" He demanded. "Are they inside?"

Looking over the town, I could see another tall structure on a peninsula in the bay. A tall slender Telvanni tree tower stood with an open space at the top where a large brazier burned for ships to see. There were windows in the towers and the bright flashes of combat magic could be seen, answering the wizards question.

"Han lu, they followed Fargoth to your mother. We have to confront them." He turned to Turedas. "Rouse the garrison. Everyone we can spare goes to meet the Imperials."

Turedas saluted. By the time Master Aryon moved to descend the hill, I was already in the town, madly sprinting faster than I ever had towards the lighthouse with my spear in hand.


	58. Chapter 58 Boiling Point

**Han lu Urshar**

Blood was pounding in my ears so hard, it felt as though there was a god in the sky banging on a drum the size of a house. I didn't hear Cindana calling from behind me. I hardly noticed as Blue and Gildee responded to my signal from the castle entrance and fell in behind me, running for all they were worth, although they were ignorant as to any plan of action. I didn't even have one.

'I'm not losing my mother again.' I chanted in my mind. The setting sun glared angrily over the town in its dying light, matching my emotions perfectly. I felt my mad dash being slowed by my water bag and supplies, so I threw them off in the dirt street of Vos.

When I emerged to the peninsula where the lighthouse was located, I faced five soldiers set to watch for anyone coming from the town. They raised their shields in a wall. "Halt, in the name of the Emperor!"

I darted into the surf to get around the soldiers. They broke their shield wall to try to block me, but they were slowed by heavy armor. There were a number of soldiers coming down a plank from one of the ships on either side of the peninsula. Predicting archers and mages, I cast wards to protect me in every direction, deflecting a couple well aimed arrows and spells as many others streaked past, missing their mark.

There were soldiers ducking inside the lighthouse behind their tower shields, directed by a figure in distinct armor with a helmet that covered his face. He wielded a long Akaviri katana, using it as a wand to direct the troops.

Taking a guess, I charged the man in Blade armor, lowering my spear to impale. "Caius!" I screamed, causing the man to turn just in time to drop his sword and grasp at the spear with both hands. It was far too little far too late. I tipped the spears head upward to slide between the slats of steel that protected his stomach. The tip drove several inches into him and I felt it lodge in the chainmail protecting his back. Caius was driven backwards, holding the spear and trying to keep it from doing further damage. I drove Caius to the ground, withdrawing the spear, and kneeling on top of him. I pulled my stolen sword and placed it to Caius' neck, baring the skin by forcing the humans helmet backwards, against the ground with my free hand.

"Call them off Caius! Call them off and I'll do whatever you want."

The Imperial held his gloved hands over the bleeding wound under his armor, grunting in pain. Soldiers surrounded me and moved to pull me off of Caius. "Get back," I roared. "Get back or he dies!"

I looked back down and Caius hissed through painfully clenched teeth. "I can't. You have to be controlled. You've proven too dangerous to be trusted without extra assurance."

I wasn't about to hear it. "If they hurt her, I'll kill you! Call them off! I'll do what you want!"

Caius took several shallow, pained breaths, careful not to jostle the blade at his throat. "This is the only option you've left to me Han lu. I just hope my replacement can handle the work I'm leaving."

My companions had reached the scene with far less violent intent and stopped at the soldiers shield wall with Telvanni soldiers not far behind. Cindana gazed over the shield wall with ease while Gildee and Blue could only hear what we were saying.

"What's happening," Gildee asked Cindana with worry?

"Han lu is begging their commander to call off the attack at sword point."

My breathing was on the verge of sobs as I prepared to execute the Blades agent and turn on the soldiers until they overwhelmed me. I prepared to drag the edge across Caius' throat when I felt something. My anger seemed to lessen and I paused. Something also softened in Caius' expression. I looked over at my friends and caught a glimpse of Gildee standing stock still with her eyes shut tight in concentration.

"Okay Han lu," Caius yielded, not knowing what had come over him. "Take me to your mother…" he gasped painfully. "And I'll call off the attack. We can negotiate… once I'm sure she won't get away."

I didn't hesitate, praising Gildee with silent lips. I hauled Caius to his feet and he called to one of the bystanders. Another tall agent, covered head to toe in Blade armor to hide his identity, took Caius' by the shoulder and put a potion to his lips. Caius waved it away with a blood soaked hand. "No time. Get us up the stairs. If she leaves, this is all for nothing."

Ignoring the pouring blood from the terrible stab wound, we entered the lighthouse. Under other circumstances, I might have marveled at its beauty and construction. Caius' agent bellowed at the soldiers in the process of invading to move aside, making way for us as the Blade and I practically carried the mortally wounded Caius. At the top, three legion mages dueled with someone completely obscured by smoke and the flashing of different magics.

"Hold your fire," the Blade Master commanded with authority. "We wish to parlay," he called into the smoky room.

I shouted over the roar of unnatural flames and lightning, "Mom, it's me! Don't go!"

The spells ceased and there was an unbearable silence for a moment as the smoke wafted away through the blown out windows. There in the corner, were my mother and Fargoth, searching the room on full alert behind powerful wards. Virisas gaze landed on me and the wards disappeared immediately as she rushed forward and threw her arms around me with a sob.

The tall Blade turned to administer to Caius and one of the legion mages used an ice spell to douse a couple parts of the building that were on fire, but mother and I were oblivious to everything. We wept openly on each others shoulders, collapsing to our knees.

"I thought you were dead," Virisa sobbed.

"I'm here," I comforted. "We're both okay and we don't have to be apart again."

Caius lay numbly on the ground as Tyermailin, the tall Blade, worked the human's armor off to get at the wound and go about doing his work as a healer. Caius marveled at how this had turned out. He uncharacteristically shed a tear with the mother and son despite the significant blood loss. Or perhaps the lightheadedness was what lulled his usual professionalism into brevity. Most of all, he marveled at his own decision to take a chance on trusting Han lu. That didn't seem like him at all.

Eventually, he shrugged, albeit, wincing as the movement pained his stab wound. "All's well that ends well."


	59. Chapter 59 Love and War

**Master Aryon of House Telvanni.**

I'd lost control of my little section of the world. I was no stranger to plots, schemes, and power plays, but usually I was able to stay aware of them. So when my grandson introduced me to an Imperial Agent named Caius Cosades who had apparently infiltrated my organization without my knowledge, I did what I could to get the upper hand.

I was kind enough to invite him to discuss this whole affair in my stronghold. A risky move, allowing a potentially hostile actor into your home, but I knew how to play the game. This foreigner had the upper hand on me, so it was in my best interest to learn as much about him as possible. It came as no surprise when he insisted on bringing some of his Legion into Tel Vos. He respected my power and House Telvanni's independence and he was right to distrust me.

Caius leaned heavily on Tyermailin, still in pain and weakened from blood loss, but his wound had been completely sealed by the High elf healer, a feat that was beyond any healer I'd met in the time he'd had to work with. They both still wore their armor, hiding their identities until we were safely locked in my council room, with a guard from each of our forces guarding every door to ensure we could speak in private. "I appreciate you granting us use of your facilities," Caius said tiredly, on the verge of collapse.

Han lu, Virisa, Caius, Tyermailin, two female Blades in their own armor, and myself were all present. All other related parties, namely Fargoth, Blue, Cindana, and Gildee waited in another room under guard.

We all sat at the table, me at the head and Virisa and Han lu facing the Blades. I looked to Caius, who now removed his helmet and sat up tiredly. "Master Blade, would you like to begin the proceedings," I invited?

"Yes," Caius began doggedly, seeming on the verge of fainting. "The way things stand, the Empire has plenty of justification to call for the execution of both Han lu and Virisa. I am authorized to issue warrants for their arrest and serve those warrants as needed."

Everyone in the room stiffened, except Caius and myself. He was negotiating and he wanted to start negotiations from a position of power. I knew from that moment that Caius and I were men who could understand one another. He had the brass and backing to make deathly threats in enemy territory. He knew he had the weight of the might of the Empire behind him, as I had the power of House Telvanni to back my words. He continued speaking in a pattern I knew he'd follow.

"As you know, I'd prefer not to. I wish to maintain stable relations with House Telvanni, so I am willing to negotiate certain conditions for Han lu's cooperation. Keep in mind that if we are not able to come to some agreement, I am authorized to stage an attack on Tel Vos and the town by the Emperor himself. I am sure, however that we can come to a peaceful resolution."

He turned to face Han lu directly. "If I am not mistaken, your issue was that working with the Blades was keeping you from seeking out your mother. That is why you ran away, yes?"

My grandson nodded. "I wasn't terribly pleased to be helping the people who killed my father either."

What could I say about Han lu? Virisa had told me much about her son. Of course, I only got details from her perspective. She thought he was brilliant and resourceful. I couldn't say one way or the other yet. All I knew for sure was that he reminded me of his father, both in his cautious defiant manor and in the fact that unnecessary trouble seemed to follow him.

Caius spread his hands in a placating gesture. "Your anger is understandable, but the Emperor's actions were completely justified considering your father's crimes. I would ask, not only professionally, but personally that you forgive or at least set aside your anger. I can grant you and your mother full pardons for your rolls in the Emperor's assassination attempt. Is that not reasonable?"

I saw in Han lu's face that he wasn't ready to accept the responsibility Adairan bore for his actions, the same way Adairan wouldn't have accepted it. The boy was stubborn and he was fully prepared to lie to Caius, telling him what he wanted to hear until he could steal his mother away and disappear somewhere that the Empire would have trouble finding him, but Virisa put a hand on her son's arm, looking to Caius. "It is. We are both willing to accept that." Han lu swallowed hard, but did not contradict. The defiance left his eyes. I marveled at the effect of a woman to disarm hot headed young men. It was one thing that had never changed in all my years.

Caius nodded. "Now as for the conditions of the pardons, I'm afraid Han lu has abused what little trust existed between us. If I grant you these pardons, what assurance have I that you will not just flee, this time with your mother, never to be seen again? That is the reason I deployed here. If I had Virisa imprisoned, I could have used her to force compliance. Obviously, that will be unacceptable to you, but allowing her to have free reign to disappear whenever she desires is unacceptable to me. Do you have a counter offer?"

I was the first to speak, knowing it was time to assert myself to protect my family. "Virisa has already been in hiding here. Perhaps some sort of house arrest? You could leave someone to guard her around the clock."

Virisa turned to me with displeasure. "Father, really."

"We cannot avoid consequences for our actions and your actions have been dire." My voice was a rebuke. After all, this was my daughter and I saw all these proceedings as a result of her marriage nearly two decades hence. Perhaps it was time to be strong with her, to avoid letting her get into further trouble. "Better that you live a quiet life here in Vos than find some way to galavant across Tamriel again with your boy, getting into Oblivion knows what kind of trouble. I had hoped you had satisfied your wanderlust?"

"I had rather hoped to accompany my son," Virisa countered with the the authority and dignity of her upbringing. "Do I strike you as a pretty housewife to tend the garden and manage servants? Remember, I took part in the assassination plot also, along with many other various missions, which may or may not have run contrary to the law," she added, glancing mischievously at the Blades.

Caius interjected. "Wait a moment. Keep in mind, I must have some reassurance that Han lu will do as I say. Lady Virisa, if you wish to assist in that, I am sure that in time we could find a place for a skilled sorceress and infiltrator such as yourself."

"Which begs to question, what is it you people want from my son?" Virisa was the only one not aware of the Blades intent, although Han lu gave me a look, signalling to feign ignorance. So he did have some modicum of intelligence. It wouldn't do to volunteer that I knew anything Caius didn't tell me from his own mouth. Caius also looked to me. "This may be where you want to step outside Master wizard. Although you may become privy to parts of our mission eventually, our telling you could put you at risk and would require us to keep a close eye on you."

I stroked my chin thoughtfully. "This concerns my family. As the patriarch, I feel I need to stay informed, especially considering the... political nature of what's happened between us so far." Not to mention the political implications Han lu's mission may have on the future, I kept to myself.

"Very well. The Emperor has declared that Han lu appears to have the potential to fulfill the prophecy of the Nerevarine. The Emperor has failed to explain what he expects from the Nerevarine, rather, he has asked me to help Han lu discover the true purpose of the Nerevarine, separating the superstition from the pure prophecy so that Han lu can fulfill it, or appear to fulfill it as the case may be."

Virisa frowned. While I myself had long known of the secretive Nerevarine cult, I had never seen the need to teach my children that some believed that St. Nerevar of the temple would one day be reincarnated. Obviously, I'd already had my hands full teaching my rebellious young daughter more practical things. Of course, I acted as though this were my first time hearing of the mission. I bowed my head. "Master spy, from what I know of this prophecy, or rather, these prophecies, there are many contradictions one with another. How do you intend to decipher the true roll of the Nerevarine, if he were reincarnated?"

Caius shifted in his seat with a weak grimace, trying to gain a more comfortable position. "Only Han lu can do that. Who knows? Perhaps it's up to the Nerevarine to decide his path. Speaking of which, we need to get a reliable informant among the Ashlanders. I had a promising lead, but I had to pull my agent away to come here. Perhaps, it will work out better this way." He turned to Virisa, " After all, your in-laws are Ashlanders, are they not?"

Virisa's face seemed to unintentionally fall a bit. "Well, yes. However, it will be uncomfortable to go to them. I haven't any idea how they will react to news of my husbands passing."

"Be that as it may," Caius interrupted with a sweeping gesture, "Han lu will need to go to the Urshilaku camp anyway, to meet the leaders of the Nerevarine cult. I can only hope that having family there will provide an easier way into the trust of those leaders." He turned to Han lu. "It is time for you to try your fate. You must go to the Urshilaku tribes camp and submit yourself to the testing of the Nerevarine cult. You must do whatever you can to pass their tests."

Han lu nodded somberly but raised his eyes to question. "Caius, what if they decide I'm not the Nerevarine?"

I leaned forward attentively, knowing that there could be only one answer from the Imperial. Caius' gaze hardened. "That is not an option. If you cannot fulfill the requirements, you must fake it or trick them. That is why, at least for the time being, your mother must remain under guard. Once you have the following of the cult, we can discuss your mother helping in other capacities."

I knew he would say something of the sort. If Caius left Han lu any room for failure, Han lu might use it as an excuse to get out of the mission. In the end, Caius had to threaten Virisa's life. This was nothing new to me. The threat of death was stock and trade in House Telvanni, if not for the Dunmer race at large. Be that as it may, it was never pleasant when you were on the wrong end of it. I didn't like it, especially considering that I didn't believe in this Nerevarine prophecy, but if I refused to agree to these terms, it would be war with the Empire. My daughter sat quietly, weighing the situation in her soul. She knew what it meant. If Han lu was unable to win over a camp of religious fanatics, she would be executed. After running away to Morrowind, not only had she finally been captured, she'd made the situation many times worse by involving politics. She met my eyes, but I offered no advice. She was smart like me and she would arrive at the same conclusions I would.

"Very well," she said. "I'll submit to your terms."

Caius slowly stood with a respectful bow to the lady. "Thank you Madam Urshar. There are only a few things I must say in parting." He leaned across the table, gesturing for Han lu to come closer. "If you need to communicate with me, you can send mail to the South Wall cornerclub. Address the letter to C.C. They know what to do with it. Keep details vague, as there is always a risk of the letters being intercepted." He leaned back, standing in a more comfortable position and clutching where his wound had been. "Virisa, I hope you will start going by your maiden last name of Aryon. Part of the prophecy includes the Nerevarine being of uncertain parents and it would be best to distance yourself from him, at least publicly."

Virisa inhaled sharply and looked meaningfully to Han lu. "That's… too much of a coincidence."

Han lu was taken aback and looked at his mother with hurt. "What do you mean?"

"Han lu, your father and I agreed never to tell you this. Adairan received a dream shortly after we were married. He told me Azura was to give us a gift of great trust and honor. The next day, he went hunting with his tribes hunters. When he came back, he held a baby wrapped in cloth. Burial cloth, which I thought was odd. He said the child was the gift. We decided to raise you Han lu. It made more sense later when we found out that I… I was unable to bare children."

I sighed, filling with mixed emotion. "Virisa, we are not Ashlanders and we do not worship Daedra. However, you told me Han lu was yours. Why would you do that?"

"I feared you'd claim he was an unwanted Ashland bastard and disown him. Far better that you thought he was blood."

An arrow of ice pierced my heart and I looked down in shame, then to Han lu. I couldn't deny it, for I had disowned, not only Han lu, but both his parents. I struggled to speak through a lump in my throat, but forced myself to do it. "I want to say I am a different man than I was then. I fear now that it was my own wrath and ignorance that drove Adairan to take you from my home. I'm so sorry Virisa."

Caius watched the moment intently, no doubt noting everything he could use. After waiting a polite moment, he said, "Do not fear failure Han lu. I believe we are fated to succeed in this endeavour, I feel it. Do not put off your task for longer than necessary. I must speak to each of your companions concerning their roles in all this. I suggest you do the same. I've never been able to accomplish anything difficult alone. I suggest you keep these friends close."

Han lu stood quickly to speak before Caius tried to leave. "Caius, about that. When I took the ship to the mainland, I had a friend with me."

"Ajira of the mages guild," Caius nodded. "What of her?"

"She was not among the dead. Blue, my Argonian companion checked. Have you been looking for her?"

Caius took several steadying breaths before answering, clearly strained to his physical limits. "I have had eyes out for her on every part of the island, but I've received no reports."

Han lu cleared his throat. "I need to find her. I owe it to her to make sure she's okay. Before I go to the Urshilaku camp, I have to take care of this."

Caius groaned softly, settling back into his chair. "I'll make you a bargain. If you will show a gesture of goodwill and attend to the duties I've assigned you, I'll be able to spare more resources for other projects and fewer on you. I'll alert the whole spy network to watch for her and to assist her if she's in danger. That would seem far more efficient than searching the towns of Vvardenfell on your own, would it not?"

Han lu sighed in relief. "Yes, you have a deal."

"Good, now that that's concluded," Caius started to rise from the chair and Tyermailin supported him by the arm.

"There is one more thing," Han lu added.

Caius paused, taking a deep breath. "You ask for a lot considering I just had to send a regiment after you."

"It's not for me. Blue saved my life. You owe him as much as I do. He has a woman. An Argonian slave at the Dren Plantation. I promised to help him free her."

Caius just nodded. "More complex than you think, but I will also look into that, provided you keep your end of the bargain."

Caius turned to look at one of his agents, a mage named Surane Leoriane who was disguised by hooded green and blue decorative robes. "I need a skilled battlemage to guard Virisa. I know it will interrupt your other assignments, but this is imperative. Will you take charge?"

The Breton woman nodded. "I understand spymaster."

As Caius turned to talk to the rest of the involved parties, Han lu felt the need to call after him. "For what it's worth, I am sorry for stabbing you."

The Imperial waved his arm dismissively, "All's fair in love and war. This mission seems to be heavily intertwined with both."


	60. Chapter 60 Acceptance

_Author's note: Shout out to Serenia the Black Dragon for following my story. Hope you're enjoying the read._

 _I just want to talk a moment to those of you who are keeping up with the story progress. Getting to this point in the plot feels huge to me. Up until now, Han lu has avoided the threads of destiny as much as he possibly could in favor of his own will. His resistance to taking orders was my way of making the story my own without just being a copy-paste of the game's plot. I've read a few fanfictions of Morrowind and they all seem to start out the same with the newbie missions and the same side characters. I hope that as you've read, you've felt like this was an original story based on a familiar plot. As reliant as I am on using the game for the world building of my story, the last thing I want to be is boring and unoriginal. Now that Han lu has to more or less follow the missions set forth by the game, I have to find new ways to be original and tell the story with twists and turns that my readers don't see coming from a mile away. I plan to do this by introducing even more characters as well as involving some whom you've already met, but haven't been heard from for a while. In addition to the main quest, I plan to detail much of the thieves guild quest line and by extension, the other factions as they relate to the guild war between the Thieves guild and the Cammona tong._

 _In my head, I kind of envision this as a three part story and following the rough draft I have planned would make chapter 58 or 59 the unofficial end of book one. Of course I didn't write them with this in mind, so I think I'll just continue to make this one long story and unofficially label it in three parts. Part one is Han lu learning of the Nerevarine prophecies and his struggle between his previous life and destiny. Part two will be the path of the incarnate and the struggle to overcome the factions and individuals who oppose the rise of the Nerevarine. The third takes place once the Nerevarine has overcome the political opposition one way or another and will chronicle his warpath to Red Mountain. My story will not end with the Battle of Red Mountain as there will still be many political tensions that were set aside because of the battle for survival, but once Dagoth Ur is dealt with, the people of Vvardenfel will already be armed, mobilized, and motivated to make some changes._

 _Part two will include the Tribunal quest line as I wish to involve all of the gods of the Tribunal in the story. I'd also love to do the Bloodmoon expansion, but it doesn't fit into what I have planned, so if I ever actually finish this story, I may do it as a part four or a separate short sequel. I do have a possible idea to lead into another story based on Oblivion with a small handful of characters making their various ways to Cyrodiil after the blight quarantine is lifted, but that seems so far in the future that I've only ever jotted down a few notes on it when a neat plot twist comes to mind._

 _I doubt that parts two and three will be quite as long as part one now that the ball is rolling, but I guarantee it will be packed with quality content once I actually get it done. I hope these characters have come to mean as much to you as they do to me and bless you if you've followed this story for sixty chapters now. I guess that's enough droning on. Enjoy this chapter, feel free to comment or leave a review, and thanks for sticking with me._

 **Han lu Urshar**

Aryon ordered a servant to have a meal prepared. I noticed a bracer on the Dunmer's arm and it took me a moment to register that she was a slave. I opened my mouth to comment, but closed it again. 'That's just the way things are here,' I told myself. I struggled with how best to breach the silence, after all there was so much to talk about.

Mother was the first to speak. "Han lu, you know you're still my son right, whether through blood or bond."

"Of course," I assured her as though it were obvious, though it made me feel better to hear her say it. "I guess I just never really believed that I could really be the Nerevarine. Caius was so insistent, but I thought he was high. Actually I know he was high, but it's weird to think he could still be right. It feels like puzzle pieces are just falling in place."

Aryon hijacked the conversation. "Enough of business. My daughter and grandson have returned. I must insist on throwing a welcoming celebration for friends, family, and associates, even if we must emphasize that you are adopted for the sake of your mission."

Virisa smiled at her father, "Oh, I'm not sure you need to make a fuss."

"Nonsense. Now that you can come out of hiding, you must rejoin Great House society. And even if we must keep Han lu's mission a secret for now, he will need to be introduced to the public eye eventually. Better that the Great House nobles come to know him before he is under the scrutiny of claiming to be Nerevarine."

Virisa couldn't argue with this logic. I thought of a necessary detail though. "I had a run in with the Dren's of House Hlaalu already. By sheer chance, they found out that I was the assassin who tried to kill the Emperor. I told Lord Orvas that I was exiled and that explanation should hold up considering my youth, but there's no good explanation for why mom shouldn't still be hunted by the Empire. Caius has granted her clemency, but we can't exactly explain that to the Great Houses, can we?"

Aryon waved his fingers as if clearing the air. "It shouldn't be a problem. We tell the truth, that she escaped and let it be implied that she is under my protection, which is why the Empire doesn't pursue her. Even if someone goes to the Legion, there will be no warrants for her, so the Legion will make no attempt at an arrest. If anything, that will imply I am powerful enough to influence Imperial politics and that can only benefit us."

Virisa chuckled. "Han lu, may I introduce your crafty old grandfather," she joked. "He never seems to miss a trick."

Aryon couldn't help a smug smile. "Just wait until you meet your grandmother. If you think I'm sly…" He let it hang in the air.

"I hadn't really thought about having a grandmother. I guess I assumed you were a widower."

Aryon feigned incredulity, placing a hand over his heart. "How old do you think I am? She's in Vivec at the moment, visiting a friend. You also have an aunt and uncle in Sadrith Mora. They have two children of their own."

I turned to my mother excitedly. "What about Bargrum? Where's he?"

Virisa sighed. "He didn't take to living here. He left weeks ago and I haven't heard from him. I think he took you and your fathers' deaths very hard. He hadn't quite been the same since."

"Neither had you, my daughter," Aryon muttered from behind his glass. "It's good to see you smile again."

There was a knock on one of the doors and Aryon bid entrance. Fargoth, Blue, Cindana, and Gildee all entered under the watchful gaze of Surane Leoriane, Virisa's new Blade bodyguard/parole officer. Aryon stood to greet them. "Ah, welcome to my hall. It is a…" his eyes lingered on Blue for a moment and his sentence faltered for just a moment before continuing," pleasure to meet my grandsons companions. Whatever your business, I'll be glad to make room for you while you remain here."

Fargoth marched to his place at Virisa's side, knowing the welcome was meant for the visitors. Blue and Gildee muttered their own polite replies, getting flustered as they were not accustomed to being addressed by nobility. Cindana on the other hand, just gave a prim curtsy. They had been offered changes of clothes by Aryon's servants while Caius had met with us. Blue had declined and still wore his prison clothes, minus his armor. Gildee and Cindana wore dresses that were fairly simple in accordance with their practical tastes. Still, I couldn't help notice their formliness now that armor and tough travel clothes were replaced with fine linen. Gildee was beaming and I guessed she didn't get the chance to dress up often considering her mobile lifestyle. In comparison, Cindana looked perfectly comfortable in the attire.

"Please," Aryon continued. "I hope you'll join us for a meal." Gildee conspicuously settled between my mother and I once I'd introduced her. Cindana and Blue took the opposite side of the table, Blue choosing to keep his distance from Aryon and keeping his gaze down. He looked decidedly uncomfortable as he saw that slaves were waiting our table, some of them Argonians themselves. I watched with interest as the two slaves noticed an Argonian at a Great House councilors table. Blue couldn't meet their eyes.

Virisa insisted on knowing how each of my 'friends' had met me and Gildee quickly took the initiative, much to Cindana and Blue's relief. Mother couldn't help but shoot me a knowing look, causing me to flush in discomfort. "My friend Ajira introduced us in Suran. We were staying at a tavern and we danced away most of the evening."

"Oh really," mother asked with a wry grin. "My Han lu, danced the night away? That doesn't sound like him at all."

I cleared my throat to correct any misconceptions. "May I remind you, Gildee, that you had bewitched me with a spell? That ended when someone nearly got away with stealing my bow."

Virisa saved me from the fire, coyly asking, "And you two have been friends ever since?"

I cut ahead of Gildee, hoping to head off the insinuation that we were in a relationship. "She only came looking for me because Ajira is missing. I think she teleported away from a shipwreck, but we don't know where she would have gone."

"She didn't come back to Balmora," Gildee insisted. "Cindana and I looked for two weeks."

I nodded. "I don't think she would go back to Balmora. The Mages guild master had it out for her."

Gildee shared a knowing look with Cindana. "That's funny. The guildmaster went missing not long before we left Balmora. If Ajira only knew, maybe she'd come back there. As it is, we'll have to search the surrounding area, including the Bitter coast and Ascadian Isles region. I don't think she'd wander too far. She isn't very adventurous."

I perked up. "Did Caius mention to you that he was going to have his network on the lookout for her?"

"No," Gildee answered excitedly. "That's such a relief."

"The catch is that I have to go to the Urshilaku Tribes camp for Caius. I can't take time go looking for her right now."

Gildee's face became troubled, but she said, "I guess that makes sense. What should I do?"

"You can still look for her. You have to make a living too, right?" Gildee bit her lip and stared at me expectantly. I paused in confusion and slowly checked to see if she was trying to tell me I had some food on my face, but found nothing.

Virisa picked up on her queue faster than I and addressed it graciously. "I don't suppose you'd be willing to accompany him to the Urshilaku camp, would you? I'd feel better if I knew he had someone watching out for him"

Gildee gleamed. "I thought you'd never ask. This whole prophecy thing sounds like an incredible adventure. What about you two," she asked Cindana and Blue.

Cindana met Gildee's eyes with a blank, ponderous stare, then mine. I answered for her. "She'll be coming with us. What about you Blue?"

Blue was interrupted by Aryon. "I believe it would be a very bad idea to send an Argonian with you to the Ashlanders. If you think the Great House Dunmer dislike the beast races, you're in for a terrible surprise."

Blue seemed to sink a bit lower into his seat.

I prepared to speak in Blue's defense, but knew Aryon was right. "Blue, perhaps you can go find my contact with the Dren's."

Blue regained his confidence a bit and said, "I ought to ask you about that. You said her name was Safia." I winced slightly, realizing we were discussing a sensitive secret over dinner. "I remember her. She is the daughter of Orvas. Why would she help me?"

"I'll tell you in private Blue. It's a sensitive matter."

Blue nodded, satisfied for the moment and leaving a lull in the conversation.

Virisa hoped to break the silence, looking to Cindana. "So how do you know Han lu?"

I faked a loud yawn and said, "Excuse me. All the traveling seems to have caught up with me. What about you three?"

Cindana quietly nodded and Blue took the opportunity, saying, "Yes, me as well."

Gildee shook her head. "I don't think I could possibly sleep with all the exciting things going on. And I've never been in a castle, er tree tower place before."

Aryon stood. "I'll arrange you a tour, shall I?" Gildee shot me a winning smile. "Fargoth, you could see our guests are all properly quartered, couldn't you?"

"Of course Master. And I'd be happy to show Lady Gildee the Tower as well." As ordered, Fargoth stood to lead the visitors to the guest rooms.

Virisa leaned in and whispered, "Han lu, I'd like to speak with you privately if you're feeling up to it."

"Of course mom." Fargoth led the others away and Surane sat at a polite distance while mother and I waited for the others to leave.

Aryon made a point of clasping my shoulder before retiring, saying, "I'm so very glad to meet you grandson. Welcome home."

Virisa made no fuss at her new bodyguards presence, taking the minor inconvenience in stride. She wore a smile with just a hint of melancholy as she stood and sat in the chair next to me. I chuckled. "Where to even begin?"

"First things first I suppose," Virisa answered, taking hold of my chin to examine me. "What happened to your face?" I huffed.

"You should see the other guy," I quipped, dodging the question. Virisa snickered, but still waited for a serious answer. My head drooped, guilt mixing with the happiness of being reunited. "It was Cindana." Mother's eyes flashed with sudden venom towards the Altmer, but seeing it, I continued, tears starting to brim. "Mom, I… I killed her father."

The venom disappeared from Virisa's gaze, being replaced with concern. She reached up to wipe my tears and stroke my cheek. She spoke softly, like a mother should. "Tell me what happened."

I took a shuddering breath and explained, "I took a few jobs for the Mages guild in Balmora. The guildmaster is, or was a Dunmer woman who's obviously greedy for power. I fell in with her because she had the kind of work I was used to doing. She wanted me to strong arm her guild members and other influential mages into complying with her wishes and she paid well. Then she asked me to escort a guild researcher between cities. She didn't really have any interest in his safety, she just wanted me to get her the research notes the man was working on. I tried to convince him to give them to me. I really tried. I pretended to ask for copies as an interested student, but he could only show it to authorized people." My voice started to crack, "In the end, I cut him down and took it."

The dam holding my emotions broke and I started sobbing. Mother took me into a hug and I buried my face in her robed shoulder, staining the fine garment with tears. I continued, blubbering more than talking. "I did it so I could get back to you. I kept telling myself it was worth it if I could get back to you. That's what we always did. Everything dad did was to take care of us and I needed to take care of you. I don't understand. Why do I feel so guilty now? Why didn't I ever feel this way before?"

Virisa was quiet. She said nothing, rocking me back and forth and letting me cry myself out. Little did I know, she was wrestling with her own thoughts. She let minutes pass, preferring to comfort her son rather than broach the discussion.

I slowly regained some composure and drew back to meet her gaze, fighting to control my shuddering breaths. "When I got arrested in Cyrodiil, the Emperor's daughter came to see me in the arena dungeons. She accused me of having no guilt over my attempt on the Emperors life and she was right. Dad always said rulers were often just like us and extorted others for a living, but we didn't hide behind castle walls or armies. This wasn't like that. Itermerel was a good man. I did an awful thing and when Cindana's around, I feel awful for what I did. How do I fix this mom? I don't want to feel this way anymore."

Virisa was biting her lip to keep it from quivering and a silent tear made its way down her face. She put all her effort into drawing a breath without a shudder. "Han lu… I… Your father…" She paused, unable to find the words. "Your father was an ambitious man. He had to make himself feel that he was doing good by saying the things we did were for the family. That's part of why I was so attracted to him when we met. His parents were not wealthy by any means. His father was a herder which is a poor commoners profession. Adairan left the Ashlands to make his fortune which is how I met him. He started working for House Telvanni. Back then, he never talked about his past. He was young, handsome, and very cunning, like most of the nobles my father wanted me to court. At first I gravitated to your father as an act of rebellion. As far as Aryon was concerned, courting an Ashlander was forbidden fruit. In all reality, I was starting to mature and your father and I were drifting apart when he finally opened up to me about his past. That's what set him apart from the other men available to me. I could have had any number of suitors who were wealthy or handsome or powerful, but your father… I knew he could love Han lu. Not just in a romantic sense, but I came to understand he would put my welfare in front of his own personal success.

"It was soon after that we were engaged. Your grandfather's disapproval made it difficult for Adairan to succeed in House Telvanni after that. We went to live with his family in the Urshilaku tribe for a couple months which is when we found you. We decided together that such a special boy must have a greater purpose in life than herding or hunting in the Ashlands. We tentatively returned to visit Tel Vos in hopes that my father had calmed down over our marriage. It quickly became apparent he had not, so Adairan couldn't resume his career in House Telvanni. We decided to leave the country. Adairan's experience in House Telvanni ended up making it easy for us to live in Cyrodiil. The whole time, we kept telling ourselves that we were doing it for the good of our son."

Virisa paused to form a difficult thought. "We never separated our desire for a happy family from our work Han lu. We were so good at it that you were never in terrible danger as a child. I'd like to think that if our pasts ever started catching up to us, that we would have quit for your safety. Just because you're taking care of your loved ones doesn't excuse any and all misdeeds and we could have taken legitimate positions under any Lord or Duke in Cyrodiil. You could have gone to university and been a gentleman of the court. However, now that your father is gone, I see more and more that we were always talking each other into higher risk endeavors. Adairan saw it as a way to provide for your future and because of my upbringing, I believed it too. We brought you into the business because in our minds, we were preparing you for success, not putting you at risk. I don't know how we told ourselves that when we decided to kill the Emperor. We were out of our minds Han lu and in all honesty, we didn't care if we were good people anymore."

Virisa's voice cracked and she kept talking despite the fact that she couldn't stop crying. "I'm a terrible mother. I thought that you could grow up and be happy if you became like your father, but he was a maniac... and so was I." Virisa took several deep breaths and continued. "I don't know how to get rid of that terrible feeling Han lu. I feel it too. Honestly, I'm glad you feel it, because it means you have a better heart than either of your parents. I thank Azura that I've lived to see you come to this point and now… now I have the chance to help you live a better life. My actions subjected you to many hardships you never should have suffered as a boy. Maybe now I can make up for it by helping you bear the hardships in your future."

The tenderness of the moment pulled both of our faces into sad smiles and I reached out and embraced her. The act of both giving and receiving comfort, well, it felt pure and wholesome and good. It gave me hope that maybe Cindana's faith in me wasn't for nothing.


	61. Chapter 61 Farewells

**Han lu Urshar**

I stayed with my mother late into the night. Neither of us desired to part and we discussed anything and everything to avoid the night coming to a close. I told my story, or at least the parts that wouldn't cause Virisa anxiety or guilt. When I told the part about going to Suran with Ajira, I tried to skim over meeting Gildee for the first time, but mother wouldn't allow it.

"She seems like a very nice girl," she mentioned with one brow raised.

"She makes me uncomfortable," I said, trying not to dwell on the girl, knowing my face was capable of going red. "She's so carefree and outgoing. It seems any place she goes becomes more lively for her being there. It seems like she makes friends with everyone she meets."

Virisa wore a sly grin. "I think she sees you as more than a friend."

I met mother's eyes and shook my head. "I don't think so. She's just friendly with everybody."

"Friendly enough to follow you here and apparently friendly enough to follow you on a journey to the Urshilaku tribe camp. That doesn't seem like something you'd do for just anyone."

I sighed, uncomfortable with the topic. "I don't think she'll like me when she gets to really know me. My quest is sure to bring some unpleasant conflicts. Not to say she isn't tough, but she doesn't seem like she has the capacity to be subtle or deal with the unpleasantness of secrets or espionage."

Virisa laughed. "I'm not referring to her talents as a companion on your quest. By Almsivi my son, I'm talking about courting her."

Now embarrassed, I tried to shrug her off. "Mother, please."

"Now don't try to tell me you haven't met anyone who strikes your fancy," Virisa insisted. " You didn't have many opportunities for actual courting before coming here. What is there to hold you back now?"

"Well, my quest for the Empire for one," I tried, glancing at Surane Leoraine. The Blade mage hid a knowing smirk.

"Don't you try that Han lu. The Blades made no request that you remain celibate, I'm sure. Now come on and tell me whom you've met. You can't have avoided all women in all the time we've been apart."

Realizing I couldn't get away from the question, I thought back over my experiences. "Well, there is... a girl." I offered hesitantly.

"I should hope so," Virisa prompted eagerly. "What's her name?"

"Safia."

"How did you meet?"

I shrank. "Well the first time was when I'd just come to Balmora. The Fighters guild gave me a job clearing rats from a local woman's house. One of the rats escaped and ran down the street. I cornered it in a doorway and stomped on it, but Safia was just coming out of the building and the rat… um, squirted on her clothes." I cringed at the memory.

Virisa caught a loud laugh in her throat before it could fully manifest, silencing herself by placing a hand to her mouth. "Oh. Oh dear. I hope your second meeting went better."

"Yes and no. I was accompanying the Guildmaster of the Fighter's guild to the Last Seed celebration at the Dren manor. She's Orvas Dren's daughter."

Recognition shone in Virisa's eyes. "Orvas Dren of House Hlaalu?"

"The same."

Virisa bit her lip. "I hope you smoothed things over with her. Orvas is not someone you want as an enemy."

"So I hear. Yes, I was able to speak to her a bit during the party. She's very intelligent."

"Is she pretty," Virisa pressed.

"Mom, please." Now I was blushing.

"I'm your mother. If you can't tell me, then who can you tell?"

Relenting, I admitted, "Yes, she is very pretty."

Virisa leaned in conspiratorially. "I don't suppose you arranged to meet her again?"

"At the time it was the last thing on my mind, but I did meet her again not long after that." I hesitated, knowing that I held Safia's secret of her second life. I glanced at Surane and lowered my voice so that only mother could hear the story when I'd intercepted Safia stealing a letter from the Fighters guild for the Thieves guild.

This time Virisa smiled. "Ooh, how mysterious. That certainly breaks the mold. Was she impressed that you could forge the letter?"

"Yes, she recommended me to her employers."

"Perhaps that will give you the chance to get to know her better," Virisa conspired.

"I really think I should concentrate on the prophecy for now, mother."

Virisa shrugged. "Your sojourn into the Ashlands won't last forever and eventually I'm going to get you married. Unless of course, you find yourself a wife first."

"There's plenty of time for that," I assured her.

As the night went on, tiredness eventually overcame both of us and mother showed me to the hall with the guestrooms. Half the hall was designed in the Imperial style, but the hall had collapsed on one end and had been replaced in the style of the Telvanni towers. The room I chose was on the Imperial side. The stone walls reminded me of my childhood in Cyrodiil and made me feel safe and at home. I awoke to a knocking on the door.

"Master Han lu," called Fargoth's voice. "It's time for breakfast boyo."

I yawned loudly and took my time throwing off the covers. I'd not slept in such a comfortable bed since Cyrodiil and to avoid any strange dreams was a welcome surprise. "Um, yeah. Yes, I'm coming." I took a moment to dress and don my equipment. I arrived in the dining hall last out of all my companions. Aryon and Virisa were already seated, chatting with Gildee.

Virisa saw me enter and scoffed. "My boy, you needn't wear your armor and weapons while you're here." Her eyes turned to the burlap supply bag in my hand and she lost all semblance of mirth. All eyes turned to me as mother's voice turned serious. "You aren't really planning on leaving so soon, are you?"

I took a deep breath and nodded. "I'm glad to see that you're all safe, but I have a mission."

Aryon deliberately set his cup of tea on it's coaster. "I thought surely you'd stay, meet your grandmother. Maybe even wait to meet your cousins. You're not just an Urshar, you're an Aryon of House Telvanni. You should really take some time to get acquainted with Great House politics and perhaps do some research on the Ashlanders before going among them."

I smiled at the affection and caring I felt from them. I looked at Cindana who nodded approvingly before I faced my family again. "It would be selfish of me to take time for myself right now. The best way for me to take care of you is to keep the Empire off our backs. I need to go to the Ashlanders."

Virisa stood and circled the table to get closer to me. "Han lu, the task the Blades gave you, it's no small matter. He wants you to gain the following of all the Ashland tribes. A religious following. Do you understand the implications? This will likely take months or years and the more followers you gain, the more fame you will gain. Your name will be discussed over dinner tables all over Vvardenfell. If you claim to be the Nerevarine, you will be shunned by the Tribunal and all the temple's servants. You will be seen as a threat to the Great Houses who will ostracize you, try to discredit you, and possibly try to kill you. At the moment, you are a relative unknown. Surely you can take a little time for yourself. I fear once this starts, you will not know a moment's peace, maybe for the rest of your life."

I stumbled backwards, the enormity of the vision laid before me taking me aback. "I hadn't thought of that." At most, I thought I'd be working for the Empire for a couple years. I hadn't considered that this mission would set the course for the rest of my life. The mantle of Nerevarine wasn't something I could just lay aside once I was done.

At the edge of the room, Surane Leoraine stood, taking the room's full attention. "I fear I must remind you that Han lu's life is not his own and technically neither is yours, Virisa Urshar. You owe debts to the Empire and we are holding you to them. Your crimes lost you the opportunity to live peaceful pleasant lives as you wished. Han lu needs to go where he is told. This is a time sensitive mission. If you want to partake in social activities, I suggest you make do whenever Han lu can make his way back to the Great House lands. Han lu will be the Nerevarine or the Empire will carry out your original sentences."

It was clear that Aryon did not take well to being spoken to this way in his domain, but he held his peace. Virisa turned as if to retort, but knew the statement was true. I hung my head in defeat. "After breakfast, I have to go."

Surane nodded her approval and resumed her seat. The breakfast was a quiet affair with no one in the mood for light conversation anymore. Aryon called a slave and whispered into the Dunmer's ear. He scurried off and Aryon turned to me.

"The Ashlanders have a tradition of giving gifts to show your respect and goodwill. I feel almost powerless to assist you beyond the borders of the Great Houses lands, but I can at least furnish you with appropriate gifts to earn some trust in your first encounters with the tribes." The servant soon hurried back with a number of items in his arms. "You will have to decide which gifts to present to each elder. First a fine leather quiver and half a dozen arrows tipped with fine volcanic glass. Second, an amulet of calm creature, enchanted with a spell to ease the aggression of wild beasts. Third, a war axe forged from ebony. And forth, a book of alchemy with recipes for many useful potions."

The servant laid the things on the table for my company and I to divide amongst ourselves for transport. "Thank you grandfather. I'll make use of them as best I can."

Aryon then proffered me to approach him. The Master wizard withdrew a small leatherbound book from his own pocket and offered it to me. I opened it excitedly to see what knowledge the wizard would offer to me. "It's blank."

"Yes. You must fill it. Han lu, this journey will surely go down in the annals of history. When you come to be my age, you will be glad to recall the details of your past. Memory fades faster than you think and in time the world will thank you for telling this story from your own memory. I give you this and would give you my blessing, if you will take it." I nodded, heart beating anxiously, not exactly sure what a blessing entailed. "Take a knee Han lu."

I lowered myself, imperial armor rustling and Aryon placed a hand on my head and spoke reverently. "Han lu Urshar, with this blessing I send you with my best wishes and my prayers to the Tribunal. I call upon Almsivi to watch over you and bless you with their wisdom. Whatever trials the Gods have in store for you, may you bear them well and not be overwhelmed. I pray you will be blessed with wise and loyal companions on your journey and that the friendships you make will last a lifetime. Our fates kept us apart until now, but I wish to impart a few lessons before you leave once again. Choose your company wisely. Loyally protect your friends and mercilessly crush your enemies. Do not outpace your own strength. Invest in what is long lasting and meaningful and avoid flights of fancy."

As my Grandfather spoke, I felt a lump in my throat. His words were far from impersonal and although I didn't worship the Tribunal as he did, his heartfelt blessing pricked my heart. He had given me something deep and personal that nothing my father did could compare with. Aryon removed his hand and let me stand to embrace him. Aryon let go, but proffered at Virisa to join us and all three of us hugged once more. I bit my lip, hesitant to let go. The feeling that swelled in my heart was something I didn't know I'd been longing for. How could this man whom I'd only recently met, bring me such a feeling of solace and warmth? I didn't know. What I did know was that I still had a mission. I pulled away, sniffing and blinking to clear any evidence of tears from my eyes as I called for everyone to follow me. We made our way to the front gate, still flanked by two guards when Fargoth cried out, running after us in armor.

"Master Han lu. Would you like me to join you? I'd be happy to be of service if you'll have me."

I looked the lanky elf over and shook my head. "I'd feel much better if you were here watching over mother. The Empire is here now and I can't predict what will happen if I can't meet their expectations."

Fargoth nodded his understanding. I didn't have to worry whether he understood the full implications. "Very well sir, although you can bet that when Bargrum finds out you're alive, he'll come looking for you. If he returns, I'll send him to the Urshilaku camp. He still carries your sword."

"It would be good to see him again."

Fargoth threw an arm around my neck and hugged me roughly. "If anyone can do this, it's you. Now get going." The archer pushed me off playfully like an uncle would and I looked to Gildee.

"We go west!" She pointed towards the mountain range, posing dramatically for comedic effect.

"You're going west," Blue reminded them. "I'm going south, right Han lu?"

I nodded and took Blue aside by the shoulder. "Yes. Speak to Sugar-lips Habasi at the South Wall cornerclub. Tell her I sent you. Safia Dren is working for the thieves guild against her father. You might be able to trade favors for Neesha's freedom."

"Well, that explains why Safia is always going to the Temple in Balmora. She doesn't strike me as a terribly pious girl."

"Do you have enough money to hire a boat?" I glanced at the docks at the edge of Vos. "It'll surely be safer than walking back, now that we don't have to worry about the navy."

"The Empire was gratious enough to donate to our cause, remember," he asked with a sly grin. I realized he was referring to the money and goods we'd taken before burning the warehouse in Seyda Neen.

"Good good. I guess this is it then. I hope to see you again, sooner rather than later."

"And you my friend," the Argonian said clasping and shaking my hand. I hesitated to leave, making Blue raise his eyebrow. "Do you have something else to say?"

I pursed my lips. "Yes. When you meet Safia Dren, would you…" I paused, trying to think of what I wanted to say.

Blue's eyes lit up and he turned, hurrying away. "Say no more, I'll use my imagination."

Suddenly panicked, I yelled after him. "Just tell her I said hi! Don't you embarrass me Blue!"

"I can't hear you!"

I took off after Blue, but Gildee caught my arm, pulling me to a flat stop. "Woah woah. Tell who that you said hi? Are you seeing someone?"

"What are you…" I stuttered. "No, it's not like that. Get back here you scaleback!"

Gildee switched her grip to my ear and started dragging me West, over the grazelands toward the mountains. "We've got a couple days travel to get to the Urshilaku camp and I want to hear everything about this mystery girl of yours."

Cindana chuckled from a few paces behind, Gildee's antics drawing her from her. With good humored sarcasm, she asked herself, "This is supposed to be the great savior of Vvardenfell?"


	62. Chapter 62 Gathal Llethri

_Author's note. It's nearly been three months since I last posted a chapter. The one thing I've found that affects writing productivity is routine. After posting chapter 61, I changed positions at work which interrupted my routine. So much for a chapter a week. Still, I haven't stopped writing and I'm settling into new routines. I can no longer promise a chapter a week, but I'm still dedicated to this project. I hope my subscribers are still with me and haven't lost interest in the story. There is plenty more intrigue to be had._

 _-Arbiterssword_

 **Gathal Llethri. Orvas Dren's Retainer.**

I straightened my tunic as I made my way to Orvas Dren's office and adjusted the harness that held the enormous daedric claymore on my back, a gift from Master Dren. The priceless item was proof that I was a close, trusted servant. At least, that's what I told myself to calm my nerves. It was uncommon to have a one on one meeting with the Camona Tongs kingpin.

Once in the Lord's manor, I slowed my pace to a walk, not wanting to appear hurried or out of breath. Slaves shuffled aside and bowed subserviently in the halls. I climbed one set of stairs to a solid wooden door, stopping in front of it to smooth my hair before knocking. A deep voice called, "Enter."

I pushed the door aside and stood in a spacious room, hung with a number of paintings and other expensive pieces of ornamentation. There were shelves made of rare and exotic timber filled with books, scrolls, and more decorations. The center of the room was taken up by a desk, the top of which was polished marble. Sitting behind it in a high backed chair, the large statured Dunmer, Orvas Dren sat, looking as if he were at his wits end. I had to fight the urge to squirm under his gaze.

"You called for me Muthsera?"

"So I did." Orvas was curt and after speaking, fell silent to look me in the eyes for an uncomfortable amount of time.

I shifted my gaze downward. "What may I do for you Muthsera?"

Orvas replied, his words not seeming to match his disgruntled expression. "No no, the question is what can I do for you Gathal? You are one of my most loyal and trusted servants after all."

I wondered if I dared take this as a compliment. In my experience, Orvas Dren did not easily offer praise. "I thank you for your concern Muthsera, but I am happy. I want for nothing."

"Nothing? Nothing at all? Surely there must be some unfulfilled desire in your heart. We are all flesh and blood, are we not? I never knew a man who wanted for nothing?"

My stomach tightened uncomfortably, still standing as I hadn't been invited to sit. "I am content Master."

Orvas slowly stood and walked around me, turning to stare me face to face, uncomfortably close. I dared not move. "What do you think of my daughter?"

Sweat sprung to my brow. I knew I'd been caught. Granted, all I'd ever done was look at Safia in passing, but this was Orvas Dren's daughter. You'd be safer casting glances at the Goddess Almalexia. I knew I had to do damage control. "Muthsera, I really don't feel it's my place to," I was cut off.

"Answer the question." It was now an order.

I snaked my tongue between my dry lips. "She, um... She's a true beauty Muthsera."

"Oh come now. I've had you standing guard over her since she returned from the temple. You cannot tell me the only thought you've had was of her beauty."

I hesitated. "I mostly concentrate on our surroundings Muthsera. In order to protect her properly, I have to be aware of any potential threats."

"Enough of this guar dung." His voice was not raised, but I flinched anyway. Orvas stepped back and rested his weight on the surface of the desk. "You aren't a blind fool. That's why I keep you so close, you and your brother. You can be of service to me in a highly distressing problem and in fact I need you badly. Spill your guts Gathal Llethri. I want the truth."

My tongue tied itself in a knot. The order was so counterintuitive to all the unspoken rules Dren's servants lived by that I felt physical pain in my chest from the tension. In order to actually tell the undoctored truth, I had to close my eyes as if I could pretend Orvas wasn't there. "I think she's amazing Muthsera. She's not like so many of the Great Houses youth. She's smart and I know she sees more than she lets on. I feel she will make a competent heir, which is surely no small task given the scope of your political and business ventures. I admire her devotion to the temple, although, selfishly, I wish she weren't so devoted. I feel it'd be a shame for a fine woman like her to join the cloth and live a celibate life."

Orvas was silent for an eternity and a half, allowing my mind ample time to wander over the consequences of what I'd just said. When Orvas finally broke the silence, it was with a sigh of acquiescence. The tiny gesture had an effect on me that was far too profound for how insignificant it was. I felt as though a rucksack packed with stones had slipped off my shoulders and I was at risk of drifting into the ceiling as I realized he was not angry with me.

Orvas' tone was resigned as if he'd just been soundly defeated in what could have been a profitable business negotiation. "I too believe she is a fit heir to all I own except for one thing. One... tiny... detail. She hates me. She seeks out any tool she can use to defy me. Her devotion to the temple makes her too soft to hold my businesses together. I fear that were she to inherit it, she would destroy it all or worse, give it as alms just to spite me. She is more than capable, she's my mirror image, but as she stands she is a threat to me and my Empire and by extension, her own welfare. I've tried to invite suitable men to court her in hopes that the responsibilities of marriage and children could rein her in, but she refuses to have anything to do with anything I've touched. It's as if I leave a repugnant stench that she can't stand. Ever since I ordered her home from the temple, she seems to have become entirely withdrawn. She complies with my expectations to the most minimal level, but I know she only does so under duress."

Orvas massaged the bridge of his nose. "I cannot hope to find a noble suitor she won't reject, so I have a new plan. I need someone she knows I'd never approve of, but who is still loyal to me." Orvas paused and raised his gaze, boring through me like a drill through butter.

I trembled from the powerful sensation of butterflies in my stomach. "Muthsera, I don't know what to say. I'm not of noble birth."

"Precisely. I can no longer hope that Safia will be able to take my place in House Hlaalu. She will find love and she will pursue it whether he is of noble birth or not. I've made my peace with this. The best I can hope for now is to find her someone who can rein her in and keep her out of trouble."

"Why me Master?"

"Oh, why not you," Orvas huffed, his voice laced with equal measures of this new, uncharacteristic resignation and his trademark brand of confidence that comes with being a master manipulator. "You're a young strong warrior and everyone knows I'd never approve of a relationship between my daughter and a commonborn Ashlander, even one in my employ. If you make advances on her, she'll see you as a dashing rebel. Eventually, people will find out about your relationship and word will leak to me. I'll confront you two about it, but you'll stand up to me in front of her, unintimidated. Naturally, I'll grudgingly be won over by your bravery and devotion to her. I'll make it clear that I don't approve and I'll never give you my blessing. Usually, I'd have such a nuisance removed, but Safia already knows I depend on you, so she'll assume that's the reason why I never have you removed. We'll let her think that she's found an ally in her crusade against me which will drive her into your arms completely. You will run off to get married in secret and give her an outlet for all this youthful passion of hers. She and I won't be on speaking terms for a while, but," he caught my eye with a knowing look, "motherhood changes a woman."

I listened with the intensity of a defendant waiting for a judge to pronounce a verdict. I don't know how it got there, but I felt like I had a stone lodged in my throat.

Orvas finished laying out his plot with no more emotion than if he were explaining one of his business strategies. "Gods willing, we might be one big happy family in time for next year's harvest celebration."

I was stunned. I couldn't believe this was really happening. Surely this was an elaborate trap to test my loyalty… somehow.

"Well, don't just stand there. What do you say?" Orvas' smile went flat as my face went red, then purple. My head was too light on my shoulders and my sense of balance abandoned me. I'm told that I passed out, tipping backwards like a board and thudding numbly to the floor. Orvas relaxed, sitting on the edge of his desk and filled two crystal glasses with a fine alcohol. "I know how you feel," the lord mused to his unconscious servant. "I can't believe this is happening either. Here's to your health and happiness boy." Orvas raised his glass and threw back the drink, savoring the burn. Then with another glance at my body on the floor, he shrugged and threw back the second glass too.

Later that evening, I tracked down the Lord's daughter. I found her on the dock that ran alongside the river in a deep ravine next to the Villa. As I descended the stone steps carved into the ravine, I looked at her like I never had before. Not in a passing glance, afraid that someone might see and get suspicious. No, this time I rested my full gaze on her, taking in all the details, unafraid of retribution. She wore an uncharacteristic practical outfit for a noble, but looked amazing just the same. A corset hugged her top close to her body and she wore trousers as well. I watched for a moment from a distance as she sat reading from a tome of magic with her feet dangling in the water.

Someone stepped out from an evening shadow along the side of the ravine, rasping metal signalling a sword being part way drawn. "Oh Gathal. You should have announced yourself," chided Llaro, my twin brother, as he let his daedric katana fall back into the sheath on his back.

"Sorry. I'm a bit distracted."

Llaro glanced at Safia, who was facing away from us, out of hearing range. "Careful brother. I don't want to see you hurt. There are plenty of girls. No reason to dance close to the fire."

I clapped my brother on the shoulder, appreciative of the concern. "It's different now. You have to keep this a secret, but Master Dren asked me to court her. He's worried she'll fall for someone beyond his influence."

Llaro gritted his teeth and shot a pained glance between me and Safia. "I don't like this brother. Orvas has always been fair with us, but you know what he's capable of."

"It doesn't matter," I shrugged. "It was an order, not a suggestion and I really do like her."

Llaro shook his head, trying to process the situation. "Alright then. I'll leave you to it."

Safia noticed Llaro and I switch places, but paid it little heed. She'd rarely been required to have a bodyguard until her father had made her return home from her service at the Balmora temple. Now, she was never allowed to be alone. Even when she was in her own chambers, a handmaid remained in the room, whom she was sure reported directly to her father. She was eager to return to Balmora, but was hesitant to request permission to leave.

The girl chose to make use of her time by practicing magic. She'd been able to find a couple books with information on illusion, which I saw her studying quite often.

She was distracted when I approached, sitting on the stone staircase leading down to the dock where she sat. I usually kept a polite enough distance that she could pretend I wasn't there, as did Llaro. She seemed to become self conscious and crossed her legs as she lightly dangled them over the docks edge. She briefly glanced up from her book to catch me scanning the opposite banks of the river. I wore a simple, rough linen shirt and pants and standard leather boots. As far as armor, I wore only leather bracers on my forearms.

She tried to ignore me and continued reading. The servants and hirelings knew their places around here and they rarely dared so much as casual conversation with Safia or her family, so she was used to the silence. I knew this and he struggled for the best way to break the silence.

'You don't have to win her heart today,' I told myself. 'Just get her to notice you.' I killed time by concentrating on watching the surroundings, pretending there was an assassin behind every piece of cover. The sun soon stood low over the horizon and cast the sky in streaks of peach rays. "Beautiful sunset," I mused, then quickly followed up with, "But not as beautiful as you."

Safia looked up at me with disbelief in her face, but said nothing. I met her gaze briefly and quickly turned my attention back to the horizon, taking her look for rejection. I sat silently berating myself for my stupid line. Safia turned back to her book. When I dared to look at her again, her lip was curved in a small grin. My heart soared. Orvas had been right.


End file.
